


Everything That Follows

by whatdoidowiththisthingnow



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-24
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-11-18 09:50:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 24,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11288784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatdoidowiththisthingnow/pseuds/whatdoidowiththisthingnow
Summary: Events taking place after the Season 2 finale. Starting with the proposal...





	1. DEO Balcony Proposal

Maggie thinks it’s spur-of-the-moment. She thinks it’s adrenaline through Alex’s veins, and seeing all the loss, the destruction, the heartbreak, that makes her ask a question Maggie never expected, and certainly was not even considering in that moment.

But Alex is still. Alex is calm. Alex is—“Marry me.”

She stutters. “Excuse me?” she spits out. It’s all she can say. She couldn’t have heard that right.

But Alex is unmoved. Alex is calm. “Seriously. Marry me. Please?”

She’s stunned. She’s speechless. She…she can’t help it…the grin that comes over her. It answers before she can find the words.

“Yes.” Her eyes are flooded, and so are Alex’s.

“Yeah?”

“Of course!”

They kiss, and it’s perfect. Like time is frozen and no one is around, and nothing matters except them, and that kiss, and holding on to each other forever… _forever._

It’s better than Alex had planned—and she did, make no mistake. After Rick, she knew. Hell, she knew way before that. And she planned. Nothing about this moment tonight was part of her plan, but there was a plan and a ring and James was supposed to be there to take pictures, and Kara was supposed to be hiding with him and none of that, none of that happened tonight.

But Kara was right, she’ll never let her go.

_Kara…_

With Maggie in her arms, wrapped tight, forever…her thoughts return to her sister. Her sister who is in so much pain and so much heartbreak that Alex was afraid that if she so much as touched her, she would shatter to a million pieces right there on the DEO balcony.

So she didn’t. It took every ounce of strength she had left not to wrap her up in her arms. Instead, she asked her what she needed, she told her she was proud of her, and she gave Kara the space she needed in that moment.

Maggie pulls back just slightly and Alex focuses her attention on her girlfriend—no, fiancée. God, she’s never going to get tired of that. Not until…well, that’s for then. She’ll just enjoy this now. _Fiancée._ Her fiancée.

“You still with me, Alex..?” she asks.

“Yeah,” and Alex tucks Maggie’s hair gently behind her ears and kisses her again, softly. “Take me home, Mags.”

“I’d love to.”

Alex slings an arm around Maggie’s shoulders, and Maggie slips one around her waist and they quietly make their way through the still-celebrating DEO. They stick to the outside of the room, careful to avoid J’onn and M’gann and Winn because they’ll know soon enough, but tonight? Tonight the secret between the two of them is just theirs to share and to enjoy and to bask in.

As they make their way up to Alex’s apartment, Alex’s phone buzzes and she reacts immediately, on instinct.

Maggie waves off her apologetic face, because she knows…with their jobs, with their family, every message is potentially important, potentially life-altering. Alex kisses her cheek in thanks while Maggie uses her key to unlock the door.

_I’m sorry I missed it. I wanted to be there, but I just couldn’t tonight. I love you so much Alex. And Maggie. Please tell her how much I love her too. I’m home with Winn and James and Lena. I’ll call you in the morning. xo_

Alex’s heart breaks again for her sister, and she responds quickly:

_I love you so much Kara. I’m here if you need me. I’ll see you tomorrow. xo_

Maggie opens the door and gasps slightly, and it jolts Alex back to the hallway, to the inside of her apartment. Her apartment that is the same as she left it except for a beautiful bouquet of flowers, three already-lit candles and a blue velvet box—still closed—that are placed carefully on the island in her kitchen.

Maggie turns to her—giddy now, at the sight of the box—jumping slightly on the balls of her feet.

“Is that for me, Al?” Her eyes are wide, brimming with happy tears, and she just can’t shake the smile on her face.

“Uh…yeah…” Alex is in awe too, because how…? Who…? Kara. It had to be Kara.

As Maggie moves toward the counter, Alex takes the moment to send another quick text.

_I can’t believe you did this for me…for us. You are amazing, Kara. I love you so, so much._

Immediately it pings back:

_You deserve the world, Alex. I love you._

Maggie reaches the counter and turns to reach out for Alex. Alex grabs her hand, and Maggie pulls her close. They stand, wrapped in each other’s arms, staring at the candles, the flowers, the box. Maggie looks from the counter to Alex and back a few times, before dropping her head in a sigh.

Alex lifts her chin, gently, “Hey…you okay?”

She knows she has to be honest, she trusts Alex to her core, and she says the things she thought before. “I just…thought…I thought you were proposing because we lived. Because the world almost ended and the adrenaline and loss and the…just everything was heightened, you know? I just…I didn’t…I didn’t think it was planned.”

Alex nods, she understands. And she trusts Maggie just as much, so she tells her the truth. “It was. It was adrenaline. And loss. And…everything. You’re not wrong.”

Maggie tilts her head, curious. She wonders if she’s going to take it back, how they’d ever go back to what they were before.

Alex smiles, “But it was planned. A long, long time ago. _I_ planned. I _knew._ Before Daxamites. And Rick…”

The name stings them both, makes them hang on to each other a little tighter. Makes Maggie bring her hand to Alex’s cheek.

“Maggie…” she looks up, away from Maggie’s face for just a moment. A moment to collect herself before she loses herself completely in this woman that she loves more than she’s ever loved anyone before.

“It was supposed to be beautiful and romantic and James was going to take pictures and Kara…Kara was going to be there too.” Kara’s name breaks her momentarily, and she can’t help the tears that pour down her cheeks. Maggie kisses them, and Alex lets herself cry into Maggie’s shoulder. She’s been holding those tears back since she first talked to her sister.

Alex wipes her eyes and pulls back. “She did this. Kara. She wanted you to know that she loves you and she’s sorry she couldn’t be here.”

It’s Maggie’s turn to cry. She looks up at Alex when the tears start, “Yeah?”

A family. She’s found herself a family.

“Yeah.”

Alex reaches for the box, her hands shaking—so much for that DEO-training, it’s useless here. She turns toward Maggie and when Maggie reaches out for her arm, she grabs…nothing. Because Alex is kneeling, right there in the kitchen. Maggie’s hands cover her mouth, and the tears are still falling, but she doesn’t care. She couldn’t stop them now if she wanted to.

Alex is crying too, she takes a deep breath, and she steadies. She’s never been more sure of anything in her whole life.

“Maggie Sawyer, you make me happier than I’ve ever been in my life. You make me feel more loved every day, and I swear…I don’t even know how…how it’s even possible to feel more loved. I want to keep having firsts with you and I want to keep saving the world with you and I want to be with you, every day, every moment possible, forever. So will you please…will you marry me?” Her voice breaks at the end, but she stays steady and she opens the box, and a beautiful and simple diamond ring glistens in the candlelight.

Maggie’s breath catches at the sight of the ring, and she can only nod. Furiously, frantically. She doesn’t want to wait another second but she can’t speak right now.

Alex’s smile in this moment could light up the whole city, and she stands, pulls Maggie’s left hand to her and slips the ring on.

“I love you Maggie Sawyer.”

Maggie finally finds her voice, “I love you too, Alex Danvers. I love you so much.”

They kiss, softly at first, then more intense, and Alex slips her hands around Maggie’s waist and spins her through the air. Maggie laughs and buries her head in Alex’s shoulder as she’s lowered to the ground.

Tomorrow there will be work and there will be Kara and there will be healing and hurt and more losses than they’ll know how to deal with. But tonight? Tonight there is only Maggie and Alex and the insane amount of love that will get them through life and deaths and happy moments and sad moments and every moment in between…forever.


	2. Super Friends Comfort Kara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morning after the Daxamites. Morning after Alex/Maggie's proposal.

When she first wakes up, she doesn’t remember. She sees the beginning of sunlight through her window, the fan slowly spinning above, she smiles slightly, she wraps her arm tighter around the body next to her in her bed. She looks up at…Alex.

And reality comes crashing down around her.

She panics. She tries to steady her breathing, she tries to close her eyes, will herself back to sleep, back to dreaming, back to Mon-el. She struggles to breathe and she shakes and she cries.

Alex is awake though, already holding her tight, holding her as together as she can.

“I got you. I got you, Kara. I’m here. It’s—” okay? It is not okay. It’s not alright. She takes a deep breath, “I love you, Kara. I’m right here.”

Kara’s not even sure when she got here. She left her on the balcony of the DEO and she told her she’d see her in the morning, and she fell asleep with James and Lena and Winn at her side. She looks across the room and sees them now on the couch, on the floor, wrapped up in blankets and fast asleep.

Alex holds her until her shaking stops, until her tears let up. They sit like that for what feels like hours, but neither minds. They’ll sit like that for days, weeks, if that’s what it takes.

By the time the sun streaks through the windows, Kara is asleep again and Alex lets her own tears fall silently, hating the pain her sister is in, but knowing she will only show it when Kara is asleep. Her arms are softer around Kara now, one stroking her hair while her head is in her lap, the other wrapped loosely around her waist.

Across the room, Alex can see the others beginning to wake. She watches Winn turn over, wrap himself tighter in the pile of blankets on the floor. James is next to him, turning onto his other side. She can see Lena’s feet sticking out from under the blanket on the couch, right next to Maggie—Maggie. She stares at her, watches her sleep. She looks peaceful, content…like they weren’t fighting for their lives just hours ago, like the world didn’t almost just end. Maggie’s arm slips out from under the blanket, over Lena’s feet, and her ring catches the light.

It stops Alex’s tears. It stops her heart.

As if she senses it, Maggie blinks as she wakes, taking in the room around her. She untangles herself slowly, quietly, from Lena and the blankets that cover them criss-crossed on the couch. She tip-toes around Winn and James, careful of any bumps that could be limbs in the chaos of Kara’s living room floor.

By the time she can safely look up toward Alex, she sees Alex staring back at her, smiling despite her red eyes.

Maggie would give anything to make the tears stop, the redness go away, but she knows she’ll be crying for a while—they all will. She pulls her close to her chest and kisses the top of her head, her forehead, her lips.

She bends down further to gently kiss Kara’s head too. The girl that lost everything last night. Her world, gone…again. Maggie’s heart breaks for her too. She can’t imagine sending Alex away like that, but somehow she knows they all would. They save the world. It’s who they are, it’s what they do. But the cost is steep, and how long can they keep paying it?

Alex takes Maggie’s hand and squeezes. It’s all she can do right now, but it’s enough.

“How are you?” Maggie whispers.

“Better now.” Alex gives her a small smile, but it’s sad and Maggie knows, and her heart aches for her girlfriend—fiancée—god, that’s gonna take some getting used to—and her fiancée’s sister. Her own sister.

“Coffee?” Maggie offers, in a whisper.

“Please.”

Then, a small, muffled voice, “donuts?”

Alex looks down at Kara in her lap and kisses her forehead, “and crullers.” And somehow, somehow, a small smile appears on Kara’s face and she looks up at them both.

Maggie puts a gentle hand on Kara’s shoulder, “I’ll get both, kid.” She turns to leave but Kara grabs her hand. She pulls it close, inspecting the engagement ring.

“Thanks…sis.” She says it quietly, and she says it teasingly, but she says it with love, too…she means it.

Alex melts and Maggie grins, she can’t help it, “You got it.”

When she turns to head back to the living room, she’s surprised to see only Winn. But now he’s curled up at the end of the couch, still wrapped in blankets, eyes locked on Kara—making sure she’s safe, she’s ok. Then she sees the others are still there too, and she relaxes again. 

James closes the lid of the coffee pot and switches it on. He’s already wearing shoes. Lena is folding blankets and stacking pillows—unsure of her role here, but unwilling to leave. She exchanges small smiles with Lena, placing a hand on Lena’s arm as she passes to make sure she knows she’s wanted, she’s ok here. She meets James in the kitchen.

“I got it, Maggie. You stay.” He bends down to hug her and she’s grateful. She doesn’t want to leave, but she would have, and somehow he knew without her even saying it.

“Don’t forget the crullers, Olsen.”

“Never,” he promises with a wink. He closes the door carefully behind him on the way out.

Lena appears at the table.

“What can I do?”

“Help me with the coffee?”

“Of course.”

They work in silence. Maggie grabs mugs, and she lines them up on the counter as Lena fills them. Maggie takes two to the bedroom where Alex and Kara are now sitting up, but still huddled together. Still needing each other.

“Thank you, Maggie.”

“Thanks, babe.”

She turns back to grab a coffee for herself, but Lena is already behind her, offering one up, “Here.”

“Thanks, Lena.”

Lena returns to the couch and sits next to Winn. He flings part of his blanket over her lap and she grins behind her mug. Maggie is caught between the bedroom and the living room. Sisterhood and the Super Friends.

Kara chooses for her. “Maggie…” she pats the space next to her, “sit, please?”

Maggie puts her coffee down on the nightstand and settles in next to Kara. Kara immediately hugs her around the waist, “You’re family too, Maggie.”

Maggie hugs her back. “Yeah?” Kara looks up at her, still hurting, still broken, but sincere in this moment, “I love you.” And Maggie can’t believe it. One of many times that she is still dumbfounded at the amount of love, friends, family that she’s found here. With this woman. With Alex.

She looks at the ceiling in a terrible attempt to blink back tears, and her voice breaks, “I love you too, Kara.” And she does. And behind Kara’s shoulder, Alex squeezes Maggie’s arm, now crying too. All three shed happy tears…which is a welcome change from the other kind.

Winn can barely contain himself, but Lena is grinning and resting on his shoulder, and he’s trying to let them have their moment.

When James returns with the donuts, that moment is officially over.

James strides in with two dozen donuts and a tea for himself, and like the gentleman he is, he brings the donuts directly to Kara. And in a less gentleman-like fashion, Winn is at his heels, grinning, and plops himself at the foot of the bed before James even gets the boxes out of his hands.

Alex is first, _“Winn!”_

“You touch my crullers Winn, and we’re going to have a serious problem on our hands.”

“I would never!” He promises, and then pointing between Alex and Maggie, with a huge grin, “You two…I swear…”

“Man, careful!” Winn grabs a box out of James’ hands as Kara lunges for the second, and James has to sit on the bed to keep himself from falling.

Kara and Winn open their boxes simultaneously, and upon seeing the contents, immediately offer their box to the other. Alex, Maggie and James laugh and Alex reaches behind Kara’s back to steal a cruller that Kara almost, _almost_ , accuses Maggie of stealing.

Her eyes fly wide in mock-betrayal of the woman she just christened a sister, “Mag—!” but Maggie puts her hands up in innocence and Kara sees the hand with the cruller go around her back. “Alex! Get out of my box!” She tries to slap her sister’s hand away, but Alex is quick enough to have already shoved the cruller in her mouth.

“Come on, Lena, before they’re all gone!” Alex yells through a mouthful of cruller.

“Cruller or donut, Len?” Kara waves her over.

“Oh sure, she can have a cruller, but you nearly melted my face over one.”

Lena walks over slowly, but smiling. She hesitates. She’s still unsure of her place here. “Donut is fine.” And then, braver, “I’d like to keep my face unmelted.”

They laugh, and Winn offers up the box. Lena takes a donut and a corner of the bed that’s somehow not yet occupied, and the six of them sit, fighting over donuts, over space, accidentally knocking into each other and once—“Sorry Winn!”—knocking each other off the bed entirely.

And later, after the caffeine and the sugar wear off…they’re quiet again. Their minds are loud, thoughts spinning, and the things going unsaid are the elephant in the room that no one dares acknowledge. Not now, not yet. They’ve all just finally stopped crying for themselves, for each other.

They shift closer to each other, cling to each other and what they still have left. This family, this misfit group of heroes—every one of them a hero in their own right.

And Winn rearranges the TV to face the bedroom, and turns on old movies. And they rearrange themselves on the bed: Lena and Kara, then Alex and Maggie, Winn on his stomach across their feet, and James propped up on Alex’s knees, her hand on his shoulder.

No one leaves, no one moves—except once, to pay the pizza guy—and for that day, the world outside those four walls doesn’t matter, and they decide to drown themselves in the love that’s inside the room instead.


	3. Maggie & Kara

It’s the longest they’ve gone without talking. Without seeing each other. Without being there for each other.

A handful of text messages is all that’s passed between them in the week since Alex and the super friends dispersed from Kara’s apartment. Slowly, they trickled away…to shower, to change clothes, to sleep in their own beds, to get back to normal. 

Alex offered to stay longer—forever if Kara needed—but Kara waved her off and hugged her tight and told her she loved her and told her to go home. Be with Maggie. Be at the DEO. Make sure J’onn and M’gann and Vasquez and everyone else were ok. 

Alex shook her head in protest, she wouldn’t leave her. She couldn’t. But Kara held firm. It’s what she wanted. She needed to be alone right now. But Winn was staying with Kara and so Alex knew that when Kara said “alone” she meant “without Alex.”

So she left. 

The DEO was organizing with local, state and federal law enforcement to clean up the mess in National City. She was back at work, and Maggie was back at work, and even Winn was back at work. And Kara was back at work...but not Supergirl. 

J’onn made sure she knew that she could take as much time as she needed. They kept a close eye, though. Supergirl was still putting out fires, stopping bank robberies, saving the occasional kitten from a tree…but no alien threats. No massacres. No invasions.

Alex was grateful for that, for everyone’s sake. They could breathe again, heal again. At least for now.

Every morning, she goes straight to Winn’s desk, puts a hand on his shoulder and asks the same question, “How is she?”

And every day, so far, Winn responds the same way, “She’s ok,” but an “ok” that both of them knows means “she’s hanging in there, she’s healing, but she’s far from whole.” Winn is Alex’s eyes, her ears, her shoulder for Kara to cry on. Her only source of intel besides those stupid, short texts:

_Back at CatCo today. Love you. xo_

Alex responds quickly:  
_I love you too. xo_

Another day, Alex checks in first:  
_Netflix tonight? Potstickers?_

But no…not now. Not yet:  
_Dinner with Lena tonight. Another day?_

Alex’s heart breaks:  
_Whenever you want. I love you, Kara._

Kara answers. She always answers. She always makes sure Alex knows. She will forever make sure that everyone in her life knows, every chance she gets, that they are loved. So she tells her again:  
_I love you too, Alex._

Alex returns to her apartment every night to Maggie. She’s not sure how Maggie is always there, because she knows Maggie has been going to work too. But she is. She’s always there. Some days she’s curled up in the chair, reading. Some days she’s playing music softly or making dinner. Some days Alex swears she’s just waiting for the door to open, for Alex to come home.

She wraps Alex in her arms before they even exchange words, because she knows how her day was, she knows how hard it’s been for Alex to be away from Kara this long, and she wonders at what point it would appropriate for her march right over to Kara’s apartment and give her a piece of her mind. But she also understands, and she knows Kara is hurting…but god, so is Alex…and there’s not much she can do to fix it. She’s been able to help Alex heal before, but this…this is beyond her abilities. She’s a band-aid on a bullet hole.

Some nights she can make Alex forget. Some nights she can occupy her with stories from work, with little jokes, with dinner, with dancing. Once…with wedding magazines. And more than once…with her hands, her mouth, her entire being. 

But every night, after dinner, after being together, after whatever they’ve done that evening…Alex refuses to come to bed. She gives Maggie a kiss on the cheek and says, “Let’s go for a walk.” She grabs her coat and shoes, and Maggie follows suit and locks the door behind them. And they walk to Kara’s.

They don’t go in, they don’t go up, they don’t even call. They sit across the street in the park and they say nothing and they just stare at the window above.

And after a while—sometimes minutes, sometimes longer—the lights in the upstairs window switch off, and Alex lets Maggie walk her back home.

A week later, and Maggie is running out of ideas. She’s running out of ways to help Alex. Because Alex loves her, and Alex is there for her too, and Alex helps with dinner, and kisses her, and dances with her, and holds her…but Alex is still not quite Alex, not quite whole. 

She’s growing more quiet, and Maggie is growing more afraid that if they don’t fix this soon, the damage will be permanent.

So one morning, she sees Alex off to work. She kisses her goodbye outside the DEO and promises, “I’ll see you later. I love you, Ally.”

“I love you too, Maggie.”

Maggie grins because despite the pain, she means it. She always does. 

And Maggie waits until Alex is inside and she turns the opposite way of her precinct, towards the direction of Kara’s apartment.

When she makes it to Kara’s door, she hesitates, she panics. She planned what she was going to say, and how she was going to say it, and now…her mind is blank and her heart is racing. She turns around to leave and the door swings open. But if Kara’s surprised to see her there, she doesn’t show it.

“Super-hearing. X-ray vision.” She offers as an explanation. And Maggie could kick herself a little for forgetting that just now.

“Right. Sorry. I—you know what? I’m gonna go. I shouldn’t have come.”

Kara opens the door wide, and to Maggie’s surprise, opens her arms wider, “Come here, Maggie.”

Maggie hesitates, but she does. She hugs her new little sister because _god_ , she’s been worried about her too. How could she not be? 

“How are you?”

Maggie can’t help but laugh—these Danvers girls, always putting others before themselves.

“How are _you_ , Kara? I wanted to give you space…but...I’ve missed you, kid.”

Kara grins at the nickname. She wouldn’t allow it from almost anyone else, but from Maggie it seems…right. It’s said with love. She squeezes her a little tighter before letting go. “I missed you too.”

They let go, and Kara closes the door behind her. Maggie scans the room, looking for anything out of place, any signs that Kara is not ok, any cries for help. The couch is now pulled out to accommodate Winn, but except for that and a few tissues crumpled on a side table, the place is the same…she can breathe a little easier. 

Kara grabs the kettle from the stove and pours two mugs of tea and brings them to the table. They sit in silence. 

Maggie studies her face. If she didn't know her better, she'd think she was fine. But she does know her better. She sees the sadness, the tiredness that dims her blue eyes a little more than normal. 

Kara stares into her mug. Or over Maggie's shoulder, out the window. She can't bring herself to look at her when she asks, “How is she?”

Maggie answers gently, but she answers honestly, “Not great, kid.”

That makes Kara look. “I know. I'm sorry…I just…”

She looks away again, fights down tears again, breathes deep, breathes calm. 

Maggie takes over, “I know you’re hurting, Kara. I know you’re…trying to heal. And I know I’m probably the last person you want to see right now—”

“Mag—” but Maggie brings a hand up and cuts her off. 

“Don’t. It’s ok. It’s fine. I’m…” She searches for the right words, “…not your sister,” she smiles at her next thought, “…not yet, at least.” The thought makes Kara smile too. “And I’m…a reminder...of what you lost. But to Alex. I’m hers like he was yours, and I cannot even begin to imagine what that feels like, and I am so, so sorry.” She reaches across the table and grabs Kara's hand and they sit for a bit like that. 

“I know you’re hurting. I know you need to grieve in your own way. But…” she has to be honest now, even if it hurts, “you're hers too, Kara. She needs you, and I know you need her too. And if you need her without me, I can do that. I can take it. But she can't, Kara. She is broken and I can't fix it. Only you can.” The tears come down her cheeks, and she wipes them away quickly. 

“I am so tired of causing her pain, Maggie. Of taking away her happiness...making her forget it, or hide it. And I—I don’t know how to be happy right now. I don’t know how. How can I make her sit with me in this…dark place…when I know she is just so, so happy with you? I want her to stay there…in that happy place. Far from,” she gestures to the whole room, herself, “all this.” 

If she hadn’t been crying for the last week, she would be crying now. But she’s so far past crying, so she just closes her eyes.

Maggie rounds the table and pulls her close. “Hey, haven’t you learned by now? You are her happiness.”

That makes Kara hug her back, and hug her hard.

Maggie pulls away, but keeps Kara’s hands in hers. “You’re stronger together, you Danvers girls. Being together can help heal you both. And you know you don’t have to be anything for her, Kara. She wants you with her however you are, however you’re feeling, talk, don't talk, _anything_...she just wants you there.”

“I know.” Kara blushes a little, “I see her—and you—every night. I…uh…I don’t sleep until you’re there. So…thank you for that.”

Maggie’s jaw drops. She can’t help it. She should know by now, really, but she did not see that coming.

Kara offers a small smile and shrugs, “Super-hearing. X-ray vision.” 

Maggie laughs softly. This sisterhood is going to take some getting used to.

Kara smiles, but it fades quickly. “You guys just got engaged. You should be home, together, you should be happy.” 

“Kara…we are. We are so, so happy,” she clarifies, “about that. But we’re hurting too. We lost too. We lost agents and cops and friends…so we’re happy, and we’re sad…and so much more all the time.”

Kara nods. She understands this. She feels it too. She is so, so broken right now, but she feels love for her friends, her family. She’s happy for Alex and Maggie…excited even, when she truly thinks about it. 

“Come over for dinner tonight…please? I can leave, but please come see her. Be with her.”Kara shakes her head. “No—” It’s a punch to Maggie’s gut, and she tries to hide it, but Kara sees and Kara puts a hand on Maggie’s shoulder and shakes her head.

“No, not that, Maggie. I want you there. I’ll be there. I promise. But be there too.”

Maggie’s heart melts. “Yeah?”

“Of course. You’re my sister.” She means it, and Maggie grins.

Kara thinks on something Maggie said earlier, and she needs to clarify, needs Maggie to understand, “It’s not you, Maggie. It never was. That’s not why…” She shrugs off tears that are building in her eyes, she powers through. 

“I know you guys are there for me. I hope you know how much I love you both. But I also know that you can’t possibly understand…and I would never, ever, wish this pain upon you or Alex or anyone…”

Maggie nods. “We’re all carrying our own pain, kid. Different kinds of pain, different degrees of pain. We may not understand all of it, even our own, but we’re there for each other. We help each other carry it. That’s what family is for.”

Kara hugs her again. “I’m really glad you came over.”

Maggie grins, “Me too.”

Maggie collects the mugs and takes them to the sink. But the ring catches Kara’s eye, and it makes her giddy for a moment and she has to ask, “Maggie?” and Maggie turns back around, “Did, uh…did you get her one yet?”

“One—huh?” Maggie’s not sure what part of the conversation this is.

Kara looks at Maggie’s left hand. “A ring. An engagement ring. I guess—I don’t really know how that works, so hopefully it’s not a stupid question, or rude, because I don’t mean it to be, but I don’t know—but…were you…were you thinking about getting Alex an engagement ring?”

Maggie looks at her hand and beams. She can’t help it. That ring, that moment, that… _woman._ It all makes her radiate happiness, it always will. But she shakes her head, “Not stupid. Or rude. I plan on getting her one…but no, I haven’t found the right one yet.”

For the first time in a long time, Kara's whole face lights up. She knows exactly where to get it. “Can I…make a suggestion?”

Maggie looks at the genuine happiness on Kara’s face, and is grateful for both the happiness and the help, “I’ll take any help I can.”

She jumps up, excited, “Can we go now?”

Maggie’s a little scared, _“Now?”_ What did she get herself into?

But Kara pouts, and she begs, “Pleeeease?” 

Maggie knows she’s up to something, but god, that’s the first smile she’s seen on her face in a long time. She caves, “Alright, let’s go.”

In the blink of an eye, Kara disappears and reappears dressed as Supergirl. She’s suddenly standing next to Maggie with an arm around her waist and it all happens so quickly that if she hadn’t had an arm around Maggie’s waist, she would’ve knocked her clean over.

“Kara… _no._ I can drive. I meant—”

But the mischief shimmers in her eyes, in the smirk on her face. 

Kara waits for permission. Waits patiently, but stubbornly.

Maggie gulps, braces herself. 

She nods, just barely.

And they’re gone.


	4. Alex's Ring

When she realizes where they're going the queasiness Maggie feels from flying is replaced by the queasiness of sheer dread.

Through the wind, she yells. “Kara, no! I don’t think this is a good idea!”

Kara calls back, “Trust me, Maggie!”

And Maggie does, but that does not make her any less nervous, any less terrified.

They land in the front yard of the Danvers’ house in Midvale and Maggie has to put her hands on her knees to catch her breath, to ease her stomach.

Kara looks worried, “You ok?” Maggie can only nod. 

In seconds, the screen door swings open and Eliza is greeting them in the middle of the yard. She hugs Kara tight, and she doesn't let go until Kara pulls away. She answers the question that was never asked, but goes unsaid, “Not yet, but I’m not giving up. I’ll never give up. We’ll find him.”

Kara blinks away tears and nods, and looks back for Maggie who’s breathing again, standing upright again, but not wanting to intrude on the moment.

Eliza grabs her into a hug too, “Maggie! It’s so good to see you, dear.”

“You too, Dr. Danvers.”

Eliza pulls back but takes her hand—her left hand—and looks at her so lovingly that Maggie sees through all the differences that Eliza and Alex share and knows, without a doubt, and no matter how poorly she sometimes expresses it, that Eliza Danvers loves Alex as unconditionally and fiercely as Maggie does, as Kara does.

She squeezes her hand just slightly, “Please, we’re family,” and Maggie is surprised how casual, how comfortable she says it. Alex must’ve confided in her mother about her plans, and Eliza…Eliza approved. Eliza gently touches Maggie’s shoulder, “It’s just Eliza.”

Maggie smiles, “Eliza, then.”

Kara beams. Eliza puts her arm around Maggie, “Let’s go inside, girls,” and slips her other arm around Kara as they head toward the house.

Inside, while Kara runs upstairs to change, Maggie is standing in the living room, wringing her hands, still nervous, and Eliza is pouring lemonade into glasses in the kitchen. By the time she finishes and is heading toward the living room, Kara is sitting down on the couch next to Maggie with a hand on Maggie’s knee to try to calm her down.

“How are you girls? How’s Alex? How’s everyone?” she asks to either of them. 

Kara’s face flashes disappointment—for letting her sister down, for not knowing how Alex is—but Maggie answers before it can be acknowledged.

“We’re…getting better. Healing. She’s ok.”

Eliza knows there’s so much more her daughters aren’t telling her, but she doesn’t press, she simply nods, “So what brings you all the way to Midvale?” 

Maggie raises her eyebrows, “I’m not…sure, actually…” she looks to Kara for help. Eliza looks to Kara too.

But Kara is home, she’s comfortable—it’s her mom, after all. “Eliza, remember…remember when Alex called you about Maggie? About the engagement?”

And now, Eliza realizes why they’re here, “Of course.” and Eliza smiles at Maggie which makes Maggie blush a little. How she found herself this family, this perfectly loving, accepts-all-your-faults kind of family, she doesn’t know. But she is so, so grateful.

Kara continues for Maggie’s sake, “Afterwards, to me, you said you had something for Maggie…for Alex…if she wanted.”

Eliza smiles and nods. Maggie looks from Kara to Eliza and back again, still confused. 

But Eliza looks at Maggie with kindness, “There’s no pressure, sweetie. It’s only if you want it…” and Maggie watches her take off her own wedding band, her own engagement ring. She replaces the wedding band on her finger, but offers the engagement ring to Maggie.

Maggie’s stunned, she can hardly spit out words, “I…I couldn’t, Dr. Danvers—Eliza. It’s yours…and Jeremiah…”  
Kara goes over to her mom now, hugs her tight and sits on the arm of the chair, leaning into Eliza—all of a sudden looking like a little 13-year-old girl again.

Maggie looks at both of them, sees the pain Jeremiah’s name brings up, “We’re going to get him back. I promise.” And she does. She will. Because Maggie doesn’t know how long it will take, or how to even find him anymore, but she knows that for Alex, she will not stop looking for him. Not ever.

Eliza smiles a little, “I know. I know, Maggie. Even so, we’re not…we’re not the same anymore. It’s been 15 years.” Kara leans her head into her mom’s shoulder. “When he comes back…” and Maggie is grateful for _when_ not _if_ , “we’ll see where we are.” Then, to Kara mostly, “I will always love him, but we’re strangers now. We’ll have to get to know each other all over again.”

Eliza holds the ring out again and Maggie reaches for it. It’s perfect. Of course it is. The simple silver band is surprisingly heavy in her hand. The small stone in the center is gorgeous, and…not a diamond? She’s not sure. It’s just slightly pinkish and a little opaque, with two smaller stones on either side. It’s unlike anything she’s seen before, but so, so beautiful. She didn’t necessarily know what she was looking for before, but here, in her hand, she can’t imagine anything else.

“It belongs in our family. I want Alex to have it—a piece of him from before, a piece of me…and our love, our life that we built around that ring.”

Maggie poses a question not only to Eliza, but to Kara, “Are you sure?”

Kara understands, “It belongs to Alex, it always has.” She smiles and she means it.

Maggie starts to cry, because _god_ , these Danvers women, with their big hearts, and their endless kindness, and their sheer…love. She could explode. Instead, she laughs. “You wouldn’t know it, looking at me right now, but I’m usually a pretty badass cop, you know?”

Eliza and Kara laugh with her.

“But you Danvers women…you turn me into this…” she gestures to her face, her tears, her grin, “this…pile of complete mush.” She wipes her eyes, “Sorry I’m such a mess.”

Kara smiles, but Eliza’s eyes are more…they’re almost…sad. She takes Maggie’s hand and squeezes it tight. “It’s easier. It’s easier to be tough and to let the world, your job, make you hard.” Maggie nods, she knows. 

Eliza takes her other arm and wraps it around Kara now, holding both of her girls, “But falling in love is brave. It’s one of the bravest things you can do.”

Eliza kisses Kara’s forehead, and drops Maggie’s hand to pull Kara close, hold her a little longer, let her stop her tears. Maggie doesn’t dare move. She waits, she watches the ocean waves outside the window until Kara stands and Eliza breaks the silence.

“Well you girls should head home soon, get back to your sister,” she adds with a grin, “you’re fiancée.” Then adds, “Will you make sure she calls me? After you give that to her?” 

Maggie hugs her, “I will, but I don’t think I’ll have to.” She pulls away, “Thank you.”

Kara can’t help herself, “Ooh! When are you going to give it to her? Do you have a plan? Can I help?”

“Kara…”Eliza scolds.

“I don’t have much of a plan.” Maggie admits, blushing a little. “I couldn’t find the ring, so I haven’t made a plan yet.”

“That’s ok.” Eliza starts, but she’s cut off.

“Tonight!”

“ _Kara!”_ Eliza shoots daggers at her daughter, who right now cannot be bothered to be even a little intimidated.

“What?” she feigns innocence to her mother, but her eyes are wide, excited, at Maggie. “Please do it tonight? Pleeeease? Before dinner? Or after. But tonight. When we have dinner tonight? Will you? Will you pleeeease?”

Maggie just laughs, “How did you ever say no to them?”

Eliza laughs too and shakes her head, “It’s not easy.”

Kara is still giving Maggie the puppy-dog eyes, The Pout. “I’m starting to see that,” but Maggie can’t fight that look, that adorable little sister face, not today. “Yes, Kara. I’ll give it to her tonight.”

“Yes!” She jumps in the air, giddy. And before Eliza and Maggie can even react, a strong breeze cuts through the room and she’s gone and back and in her Supergirl outfit and her arm is already around Maggie’s waist. “Let’s go!”

“Wait, wait, wait! Kara! At least let me open the door!”

“I love you, Eliza! I’ll see you soon!”

“Be careful girls! I love you too. Both of you.”

Maggie looks back one last time before she feels Kara’s arm squeeze a little tighter, and her stomach drops as they climb higher and higher. This time though, she's calm, she’s weightless, she’s enjoying it. Because this is exactly what it feels like to be with the woman of your dreams and find a family that loves you and have a ring in your pocket that ties those all things together forever. 

It feels like flying.


	5. Maggie's Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Alex deserves to be asked, so she asks..."
> 
> Also: there are couple references to [ this story ](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11467014/chapters/25710021) in here, but it's not necessary to know it. I couldn't make the Stories From A Couch fit into this story, but I liked using callbacks to some of those moments.

Kara flies Maggie from Midvale back to Alex’s apartment, and while Maggie is catching her breath, Kara’s  already inside, chattering a hundred miles an hour.

“So what are you going to do? What’s the plan? Are you going to get down on one knee? I guess you don’t really have to. You guys are already engaged. But it would be cute! Do you have to ask her to marry you again? I mean, you already did that part. She’s going to love it no matter what. What are you making for dinner? Oh! You know what Alex loves—”

Maggie catches up at that point, and she puts her hands on Kara’s face, slightly smooshing her cheeks—just odd enough of a touch to make Kara stop talking and look up at her, confused. Maggie tries not to laugh at the face she’s showing her now. “Kara, I think I know what Alex loves.”

Kara grins between Maggie’s hands, which squishes her face enough to now make Maggie laugh, dropping her hands to her sides. “You’re ridiculous,” Maggie laughs, and Kara sticks out her tongue, but laughs with her.

“Ok,  but what _are_ you going to make? I can help! Can I help?”

Maggie smiles and walks over to the fridge, swings it open, answering, “Of course you can help.”

…

Later, Maggie is putting the finishing touches on dinner. She’s clearing the stove and putting dishes in the sink. Kara is taking the last of the food over to the table she’s already set. She fluffs a bouquet of flowers, adjusts napkins…unable to be still. 

Maggie splays both hands on the counter and breaths deep, settles her nerves. Kara sees her and grins, “Anything else?

“I think that’s it.”

Kara walks over and puts her hands on Maggie’s shoulders, “It’s perfect, Maggie. She’s going to love it.”

“Hope so, kiddo.”

Kara nudges her playfully as she walks away, “Plus…the hard part is over. I mean…you already said ‘yes.’”

“Hey!” Maggie tries to shove her back, but Kara is just out of Maggie’s reach. She swipes at  the space between them as Kara runs away, giggling.

“Just trying to help!”

Maggie looks at her sincerely, “You did, Kara. Thank you for everything.”

“Of course.”

Kara squints, tunes into her super-hearing, and looks at Maggie excitedly, “She’s coming!”

Maggie smooths her shirt out of nerves, and Kara grabs her hand, pulling them both toward the kitchen island. Kara sits and Maggie stands, watching the door. Kara fidgets, trying to act like being there is the most natural thing in the world—even though it is.

When Alex walks in and looks into the kitchen, she runs, “Kara!” She drops her bags on the floor and wraps her little sister in a hug that says _I missed you_ and _I love you_ and _I’m sorry you’re hurting_ and _I want to make everything better_ and so, so much more all at once. Kara squeezes her tight. 

“I’m so sorry, Alex,” she mumbles into Alex’s shoulder.

Alex shakes her head, blinks back tears, “Never be sorry, Kara. Just…better together, right?”

Kara squeezes her again before letting go, “Always.”

She looks down at her sister, takes a deep breath, refocuses herself. “Wait—I didn’t know you were coming for dinner tonight, did I?” She looks between Maggie and Kara.

Kara stutters, “Yeah. I mean…no, you didn’t know. But is that—is that ok?”

Alex is squints, slightly suspicious, “Why wouldn’t that be ok?”

“I don’t—I don’t know. You’re _engaged_ now…you know. I just…I—”

Maggie saves them. She puts a hand on Kara’s shoulder, “You’re always welcome here, Kara.”

Kara nods, breathes, “Right. Yeah.”

Alex remembers this happening a while back, Maggie with that same calming hand, that same statement. That day, they were poorly hiding the fact that they’d spilled wine all over the couch. She suspects they’re hiding something from her now, too. Problem is, she can’t figure out what it could possibly be. And she’s too happy to see Kara to dwell on it.

Deep in thought, Alex doesn’t see but feels Maggie come up behind her, slipping her hands around her waist. She melts, hangs onto that feeling for a few seconds, then turns in Maggie’s arms, smiling.

Maggie asks, “How was your day?”

“Uneventful, thank God. More clean-up. You?”

Maggie answers a little too quickly, a little too nervous, “About the same. Yeah.”

Alex searches her face a moment, squints, “I’m gonna change for dinner.” She gives her a quick kiss and turns toward the bedroom.

They fall into an easy rhythm. Alex changes and Kara pours three glasses of wine. Maggie starts uncovering the dishes on the table, and helps Kara helps carry drinks. By the time they sit, Alex has joined them. The conversation is easy. They talk about work and CatCo and the clean-up of National City. They consciously or unconsciously avoid any potentially difficult subjects. They keep it light, keep it happy.

When they’re finished, Kara stands up and clears their plates. She waves off both of them when they try to stand and help her. And when Alex isn’t looking, she gives Maggie a knowing nod and hangs back by the sink, leaning against the counter, letting them have the room.

Maggie takes a deep breath. “So…I got you something today, babe.”

Alex perks up, “Yeah?”

“Yeah. Kara helped me pick it out—well, pick it _up_ , actually.”

Alex turns to Kara, excited, “That cheesecake? The one from that place in Nashville?”

Kara simply shakes her head, biting her lip to stop herself from smiling, from spilling the secret. Maggie grabs Alex’s hand and Alex returns her attention to her fiancée.

“Not quite that far, Al.”

Alex is a little confused, and when Maggie starts to tear up, Alex gets concerned, “Maggie…?”

Maggie shakes her head, blinks back her tears, “It’s fine. It’s…” she takes another deep breath, “It took me longer than I would’ve liked to find this, but I’ve been trying—I promise you, I’ve been trying—to find the right one. Turns out, I just needed Kara…” she looks at Kara, who gives her a nod, and she pulls the ring out of her pocket, “Well, Kara and—”

Alex gasps, her hand covering her mouth. She looks up at Maggie with tears in her eyes and finishes her sentence, “My _mom_?”

Maggie nods, and Alex looks from Maggie to Kara for confirmation. Kara grins.

“Yeah. She wanted you to have it.” Then, just in case, she adds, “If you don’t—I mean, you don’t have to. I can get you something else, if you want something else…?”

Alex can’t speak, but she shakes her head _no,_ she grins _._ She puts a hand on Maggie’s cheek and Maggie tries again to remember all the things she wanted to say in this moment.

“I know we kind of did this already…well, _you_ did this. But I—I want to make sure you know that I’m in this. 100%. I love you so much, Alex, and I am going to do my best to make sure you know, every single day, how much I love you. Starting with today—with this—” she holds up the ring “if you’ll let me. If you’ll marry me.” She takes another deep breath, tears welling up in her eyes, “Alexandra Danvers, will you marry me?”

It’s a question they’ve already answered, but Alex deserves to be asked, so Maggie asks. Alex nods furiously, tears streaming down her cheeks. Maggie takes her hand and slips the ring on. In the kitchen, Kara is leaning against the counter, hugging herself and crying. 

Alex’s eyes go from the ring to Maggie, “I can’t believe…it’s perfect. You’re perfect. I love you so much.”

“I love you too.”

They kiss soft at first, Maggie’s hands on Alex’s cheeks, and then they kiss deeper, they kiss even though they need to come up for air, need to breathe. Kara watches from the kitchen, but can’t stand it anymore. Before they even think to separate, to let go of each other, they’re being squeezed tighter together, wrapped up in Kara’s arms. They laugh and they pull apart, and Maggie buries her face in Alex’s shoulder while Alex kisses her sister’s cheek.

“I love you too, Kara.”

Kara puts her head against her sisters’, “I love you both. So, so much.”

…

Later that evening, Maggie and Kara are on the couch watching _Roman Holiday_ , each digging into their own pint of ice cream, chatting. Alex is behind them, pacing, talking on the phone.

“I love you too, Mom…It really is. It’s so, so perfect. I love it…I will…Next weekend, I promise. Ok…Love you too…Bye, Mom.”

Alex puts her phone down and sits on the other side of Maggie. Maggie tosses her blanket over Alex’s lap too, as Kara leans across Maggie to hand Alex her pint of ice cream, while Maggie gives her own pint to Kara. Kara checks the label— _vegan—_ but shrugs, takes a spoonful anway. It’s complex but comfortable, and somehow effortless—a dance they’ve done a hundred times before.

Maggie looks at Alex, “Next weekend?”

“Brunch.”

Maggie nods. Alex puts her head on Maggie’s other shoulder and they sit in silence a while longer, watching Audrey Hepburn in black and white, lost in the movie. When Audrey enters in a ball gown, Kara puts down her ice cream and turns to her big sister—sisters.

“So…do you think…like…will you both wear dresses?”

Alex smiles, then looks to Maggie. “I don’t know, I haven’t thought about it yet. You?”

“Not sure.” She shrugs, “Depends, I guess?”

Kara accepts this answer and turns back to the movie. But it's only a moment before… “What about flowers? Have you thought about flowers? Or…or wedding colors? Or, I was thinking—”

Maggie chuckles and Alex reaches across Maggie for Kara’s shoulder. “Kara, when we decide anything, you will be the first to know.”

Kara gives her the puppy dog eyes, “You promise?"

“I promise.”

“Me too.”

She accepts those answers and grabs a pillow to lay down in Maggie’s lap. She pulls the blanket up to her chin, turning back to the movie. Maggie looks to Alex, a little surprised. Alex just gives her a small shrug, kisses her on the cheek, and snuggles deeper into her shoulder. Maggie tentatively puts a hand on Kara’s head, brushes a few strands back from her face, eventually playing with small sections of her hair. She can’t see it, but Kara grins.

They watch in silence a bit longer, and Maggie jumps slightly when Kara tucks her hand under her knee after pulling the blanket up closer. Alex sees the gesture that, as far as she’s known, Kara’s only done with her—laying in her lap all those years, watching old movies. She squeezes Maggie’s hand, happy tears springing up in her eyes, but says nothing. 

Kara whispers, mostly to herself, “You’re both going to be so beautiful.”

Maggie tears up and looks to Alex, like she still is not quite sure how she got here. Alex kisses her slow, sweet. They turn back to the movie and bask in the perfection of their evening.

…


	6. Engagement Announcement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex & Maggie announce their engagement to the Super Friends.
> 
> aka the one where I totally ignored that time I wrote about Maggie's ring while all the Super Friends were at Kara's in Chapter 2. ;)

Two nights after Maggie’s proposal, they’re hosting their friends and family under the guise of Game Night, but it’s really to announce their engagement. Kara already knows—and Eliza, of course—but she’s terrible at keeping secrets, and quite frankly, Alex and Maggie won’t be able to keep it a secret much longer either. It’s helped that they’ve both been at their own separate workplaces, because if anyone had seen them together the last two days, they’d be strongly suspicious. 

Kara walks in the apartment to find Alex pulling plates out of the cabinets and Maggie emerging from the bedroom, apparently in a wardrobe crisis, “How’s this, babe?”

Alex pauses and grins at her fiancée, “Adorable.”

Maggie slumps, “Adorable? Not…uh…not really the look I was going for.”

Alex shrugs, her eyes never leaving Maggie, “You’re always adorable. It doesn’t matter what you wear.” She smirks, “Or…don’t wear…”

Kara slams the door a little louder than necessary, and they jump, not realizing she’d been there, “Hey guys!”

Alex and Maggie laugh nervously, but Kara looks to Maggie, “You do look adorable, Maggie.” Maggie grins and hugs her, and over Maggie’s shoulder Kara sees Alex, “You look adorable too, Alex.”

Alex walks over to them and takes the covered bowl from Kara’s hands with a kiss on her cheek. “Thanks, Kara.” She glances at the bowl, mildly terrified, “ _You_ cooked?”

“Hey! I can cook!” That earns her dual eyebrow raises from both Maggie and Alex, she sighs, “Ok, it’s a salad. So _technically_ it’s not cooked…” her sisters grin and she follows them to the kitchen, “But I _can_ cook!”

Maggie hands her a stack of plates. “Can you set the table?”

She pouts, “I can do that too.”

Alex grabs handfuls of silverware, “You should probably throw the lasagna in, Mags. Everyone should be here soon.”

Maggie checks the clock, “Crap! How did it get so late?”

“I think you lost an hour or so changing your shirt three times…” Alex grins. Maggie peers around the door of the fridge, narrowing her eyes, and Alex laughs. Maggie busies herself with the lasagna, and Kara finishes putting the plates down when she looks to Alex, a few steps behind her.

“Alex! The forks go on the left!” Kara laughs, “You’re horrible at this.” She starts circling the table again, trailing right behind her sister, rearranging everything she just did.

“Look, I’m a bio-engineer and a special agent, not Miss Manners.”

Maggie laughs from the kitchen, “Has anyone ever accused you of that?”

“Hey!” Alex frowns and Maggie blows her a kiss.”

“Sorry, babe. I love you, manners or…” she drops her voice, suggestively, “no manners…” She winks and Alex blushes. 

Kara rolls her eyes, “Guyssss…I’m right here!”

Alex and Maggie laugh.

After fixing Alex’s mess, Kara plops down on a stool at the kitchen counter, “Is J’onn coming?”

Alex nods, “He should be here…” she adds with a raised eyebrow, “and he’s bringing M’gann…” They all share grins and knowing looks for their Space Dad and his maybe-not-girlfriend, but definitely more-than-just-a-friend. 

“What about Eliza?”

Alex frowns a little, “She couldn’t get out of her lecture. She’ll be here later though, after dinner.”

Maggie puts an arm around Alex’s waist, “I’m glad she’s coming.”

Alex smiles, leans into her, “She said she wouldn’t miss it.” Kara smiles at that too. She can’t remember the last time Alex was truly looking forward to seeing Eliza.

There’s a knock at the door and Alex perks up, “I got it!” She walks over the door and Maggie leans over the counter to Kara.

“You sure you don’t mind us hijacking Game Night? And your friends…” she trails off. 

Kara looks at her quizzically, “Well, this is your apartment. You can do whatever you want. And also,” she sighs in mock exasperation, puts her hand top of on Maggie’s, “How many times are we gonna do this? We’re family. All of us. That includes you too.”

“Hey, Maggie!” James walks up and pulls her into a hug. Winn is right behind him, but sits on the couch placing a canvas bag over near the TV.

“Hey guys. Glad you made it! What do you got there, Winn?”

“Uh, well I know we’ll have plenty of games to play, but I couldn’t not bring Mario Kart.” He holds up the bag proudly. 

Maggie grins, “Oh it’s on.”

Kara grabs a few glasses and a bottle of wine, joining Winn and James in the living room. Alex and Maggie return to the kitchen to check on dinner and get out some more glasses for their arriving company.

Kara is sitting with Winn and James, chattering, laughing about nothing in particular, when there’s another knock at the door. Kara squints, uses her x-ray vision. She gets up with a grin.

When she swings open the door, Lena is standing there. “Lena! I’m so glad you could make it!”

“Of course! I’m still not totally sure about this, but for you, Kara, I am here.” She smirks, holds up a bottle of wine, “Here with wine, of course.”

“Thanks!” Lena enters and Kara closes the door behind her. “And you’ll be fine.” She adds, in mock seriousness, “When you save the world, you become a Super Friend.”

Lena stops, “Please tell me you don’t call yourselves that.”

Kara laughs, slightly embarrassed, she shrugs, “Only sometimes.” 

Lena shakes her head, smiling. As they walk over, Winn yells from across the room, “Hey! Don’t knock the Super Friends!”

James pours another glass of wine from the coffee table and offers it to Lena, who sits next to Winn with a playful shove. “Good to see you again, Lena.”

“You too, James.”

Winn raises his glass in a toast, “Welcome to the Super Friends.” She rolls her eyes, but she can’t help but laugh and toast along with him and James.

Kara carries the bottle Lena brought into the kitchen as Maggie pulls the lasagna out of the oven. There’s another knock at the door. Hands full, she resorts to yelling, “Come in!”

J’onn opens the door and holds it for M’gann, who’s hands are full with a tiramisu that Maggie immediately spots from the other end of the apartment. Maggie half-drops the lasagna on the counter and quickly walks toward them.

As J’onn closes the door, he looks to Alex making her way toward them, “Thanks for having us.”

But before sound even comes out of Alex’s mouth, Maggie is right behind her, “You made tiramisu?!”

M’gann grins, “I did.”

Maggie turns to Alex, excited, playfully slapping her thigh, “Babe. Babe look!” Alex simply laughs and buries her head in Maggie’s shoulder, embarrassed. 

Maggie takes the tiramisu to the kitchen, giddy. Alex follows, mostly making sure she doesn’t start eating it right away.

Kara greets J’onn with a hug. She turns to M’gann, who gives her a look, “I know I said I’d bring pie, but…it seemed…right. For tonight.” She says it like she knows, which, now that Kara thinks about it, she probably does—she’s telepathic. 

Kara is unsure how to respond, so she just smirks, “It’s perfect.” She hugs her, and then, when they pull apart, “But you owe me a chocolate pecan pie.”

M’gann laughs, “Deal.”

Alex calls over their shoulder, “Alright, let’s eat!”

…

Later, they’re all around the table with mostly clear plates. J’onn is at the head of the table, then to his left: M’gann, Maggie, and Alex. Kara sits at the other end, followed by Lena, Winn, then James.

Kara gathers a few empty plates and stands to take them to the kitchen, and James and Winn stand too. Alex starts to help, but James waves her off. “We got it, Alex. You guys have done everything else.”

“Alex sits back in her chair, “I mean…if you insist. Kara, grab the dessert!”

Maggie throws her hands in the air, “Tiramisu!” 

She is five again, and it makes everyone laugh. Alex reaches over to tickle her, grabbing her side and Maggie puts her arms down, giggling, only stopping when Alex pulls her into a kiss that’s soft and sweet, but still makes J’onn blush and look down. 

Kara shakes her head, grinning at her sisters, and walks to the kitchen for dessert plates. M’gann follows her to handle the tiramisu, and the boys gather plates and dishes to take into the kitchen.

“How about coffee?” J’onn asks, “I can make some.”

Lena waves him off with a smile, “Stay. I’ll get it.” J’onn shrugs and relaxes back into his chair. Alex puts an arm around Maggie’s shoulders.

They work in comfortable quietness. James and Winn filling the sink with dishes. Lena makes coffee and after Kara puts new dessert plates on the table, she helps Lena out, filling mugs. M’gann cuts up the tiramisu. 

J’onn looks over at Alex and Maggie—content and happy, in their own world—and he smiles. Alex notices first, “What?”

He shakes his head a little, “Nothing. You look happy.”

Alex squints at him— _does he know?_ —and then looks at Maggie, who is staring unblinkingly at the tiramisu M’gann is carrying over. She smiles. He’ll know soon enough, she doesn’t care. “I am.”

“I’m glad.”

“What about you?”

He watches M’gann place the tiramisu on the table and sit next to him, all while she’s looking at Maggie, who’s practically drooling over dessert. “Yeah. Me too.”

Alex grins, “Good.”

Winn and James come back to the table with extra coffees that Lena and Kara behind them couldn’t carry. As they all settle back into their seats, M’gann starts putting pieces of tiramisu on plates. Maggie lunges for the first one, making them all laugh.

Kara raises her eyebrows and looks to Alex, “You were _not_ kidding about the tiramisu!”

Winn is still laughing, “This is a Maggie Sawyer I have _never_ seen before.

”She points a fork at him, he visibly winces, “I don’t joke about tiramisu, Schott.”

James can’t help but make a connection in his head that makes him laugh harder, “It’s like Kara and potstickers.”

That makes everyone laugh again, and Kara threatens, “Hey! Don’t you turn on me, Olsen!” but she’s already laughing as he puts his hands up in innocence. 

M’gann hands out the rest and they settle back down, mouths full of dessert and coffee. Alex doesn’t touch her dessert, but she silently sips her coffee until Maggie is done. They look between each other in some unspoken language and Maggie nods in agreement. Alex doesn’t stand, but she sits up straighter, clears her throat. 

“So…in addition to reinstating the Super Friends dinners and Game Nights, I did have one thing I wanted to say…”

Kara grins and grabs Lena’s arm under the table in her excitement. J’onn and M’gann exchange sly glances, embarrassed at already knowing, but not trying to take anything away from the moment.

With everyone’s eyes on Alex, she takes a long look at Maggie for support, for comfort. Maggie grins and takes her hand underneath the table, slipping on the ring she’s had in her pocket all night. She’s already put on her own.

Winn can’t help it, “ _Well…?_ Out with it, Danvers!”

Kara stares him down, “Winn!”

James smacks the back of his head for Kara, but Alex hardly notices.

“Ok, ok, ok. Uh…” She takes a deep breath, “Maggie and I are engaged!”

She says it excitedly, but also a little like a question, seeking their approval. She doesn’t have to wait long. The room erupts into cheers and whoops. 

Winn is around the table so fast, they can hardly believe it. He puts an arm around each of them and squeezes them tight, “You _guyyyssssss!_ I’m crying. Is anyone else crying? I love you guys so much!”

Alex rolls her eyes at this goofy little brother she’s somehow gotten stuck with, but she hugs him tight and ruffles his hair. “Love you too, Winn.”

J’onn and M’gann exchange grins. He tears up, looks at them both with a big smile, “Congratulations.”

When Winn goes back toward his seat, M’gann reaches for Maggie, pulling her into a hug. “You’ve never looked happier.”

Maggie tilts her head, beaming, “You know? I believe that.”

James stands, “Get over here you two!” And Alex and Maggie come around the table into his waiting bear hug, grinning. By then, everyone is standing.

When James lets go, J’onn wraps Alex up in a hug, “I love you, Alex. I am so happy for you.”

Alex fights back tears, but poorly, “I love you too, J’onn.”

Lena puts a hand on Maggie’s shoulder and they exchange smiles. She puts a hand out and for Maggie’s left hand, “Well, let’s see it…” and Maggie obliges, showing off her ring and blushing a little.

“It’s beautiful, Maggie. Congratulations!”

To Lena’s surprise, Maggie hugs her, “Thanks, Lena.”

Kara stands watching over all of them, beaming. Taking in her Super Friends and family and forgetting everything else for the time being. 

She looks around for her glass, but realizes they’ve all switched to coffee and laughs to herself, “We stopped drinking too soon! But we’re toasting anyways, I don’t care!” The others look at her, laughing, as she picks up her coffee mug and raises it in the air. They grab their own, joining in.

She looks at Alex and Maggie—Alex with an arm around Maggie’s waist, “To the best big sister—no! Sisters…” she corrects herself, “an alien or a human could ask for.” The others laugh lightly. “Alex, you’re not only my sister, but my best friend. You’re the most important person in my life. I wouldn’t be where I am, or who I am, without you. And I am so, so happy that you’ve found love and that you’ve found Maggie. I love you so much.” Alex tears up, mouths _I love you_. Kara smiles, continues:

“And Maggie…Maggie, I am so, so grateful to have you in my life. A person who loves my sister just as fiercely and just as much as I do—but a kind of love and happiness that only you can give her, that’s just for the two of you to share. And I know…I know we had a rough start. I’m not used to sharing Alex.” She concedes with a laugh, and a the others laugh with her, “We might not get along all the time, but I love you too. And I will always be here for you. I hope you know that. That’s what being a sister is about.” Maggie grins. 

“And I swear to Rao, as annoying as you are, no matter how many times you ask, and no matter how many times you doubt it, I will always, _always,_ remind you that you are family and you are my sister and you belong here—with this family—just as much as you belong with her—with Alex.” Maggie can’t stop the tears running down her face, and Alex pulls her in tighter, kisses the top of her head. 

The others nod in agreement with Kara. James is close enough to put a hand on her back, Lena puts a hand on her arm for just a second. J’onn is blinking back tears.

Kara blinks back her own, “Sorry! Sorry. That got really mushy, _really_ fast.” She laughs through her tears, and the others chuckle with her. “Anyway. To Alex and Maggie…and this whole family…and their happily ever after.”

They all raise their coffee mugs and toast them together over the kitchen table. Maggie takes the mandatory sip, but hands her mug quickly to Alex with a peck on the cheek, and goes over to pull Kara into a big hug. Kara has to hold out her arm with the coffee in it, and it splashes on the table before Lena takes it from her hand, and Kara can wrap her arms around Maggie too.

“I love you, Kara. That was…I just…thank you for that.” Kara’s shoulder soaks up some of her tears, and Kara holds her, waits for her to stop crying.

Maggie pull back, but Kara is still holding onto her shoulders, “I mean it Maggie. You’re family.”

Maggie nods, wipes her tears, then remembers, “Did you call me annoying?” and Kara giggles. 

Alex takes Maggie’s hand and pulls her back to her side. Winn nudges James, teases, “Jeez. We’ve been her friends for years, and she never says anything that nice about us.” 

They all laugh, and Kara stares him down, but she’s trying not to smile.

They go back to dessert, or to clearing their places, and settling into the living room. Then there’s a knock at the door. They look around, confused on who else could be joining them. Kara lifts her glasses, uses her x-ray vision, and looks at Alex, nodding toward the door with a grin. Alex grabs Maggie's hand excitedly and pulls her toward the door. She swings it open wide and Eliza is standing there.

“Mom!” Alex drops Maggie's hand and pulls her mom into a hug.

Eliza hugs her daughter tight, rubbing her back, “Hi, sweetie.” They pull apart and she adds, “I’m so sorry I’m late. I tried!”

“It’s ok. I’m glad you’re here now.”

Eliza puts her hands on Alex’s face, looks right at her, “I wouldn’t miss this for the world, Alexandra.”

Alex nods and Eliza puts her arms out again, and Maggie hugs her tight too, “I’m glad you’re here Doctor—sorry—Eliza…” she corrects herself.

Eliza chuckles over her shoulder, “Whatever you’re comfortable with, Maggie. As long as you know you don’t have to call me Dr. Danvers.”

Maggie steps back, grinning, “It’s just gonna take some getting used to.”

“Well now…” she winks, “you’ve got plenty of time. The rest of your life, in fact...” Maggie grins and ushers her into the apartment.


	7. "You're Drunk"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was one of @queercapwriting's lovely prompts from Sanvers Week, and I somehow (dumb luck, I tell ya) made it fit right in here. ;)

They’re not drunk often. Not anymore. Both of them had a bad habit of drowning their problems in alcohol in the past. But that was a long time ago…that was then. 

Now…now is better. It’s perfect. 

Now they have each other. They’re engaged. 

Now… _I should drink water_ , she thinks. _We probably both should._

Maggie stands up. The room spins, and she sways— _too fast, stood up too fast_ —and clumsily falls back down on Alex’s lap. She hasn’t drank this much in a while—definitely not in front of the Super Friends—and she’s a little embarrassed. She buries her face in Alex’s neck, which makes Alex squirm.

“That _tickles_ , Mags!” She slurs a little, she laughs. Maggie kisses her just a little sloppily. Alex beams.

Tonight they announced their engagement to their friends—their family. James, Winn, Kara, Lena, J’onn, M’gann, even Eliza…they had all been here. 

J’onn and M’gann left about an hour ago, tipsy on alcohol, and drunk on the love drowning everyone in Alex and Maggie’s apartment. They left with J’onn’s hand around M’gann’s hip and looks between each other that practically shouted their thoughts. 

Eliza was dozing off in the corner of the couch. Kara woke her gently, took her back to her own apartment to spend the night. Kara knew she would want to be close, see them all in the morning for breakfast.

Music pulses through the apartment. Maggie and Alex are cuddled on a chair while James, Winn and Lena are dancing around the living room, singing, drinks in hand. Lena looking more carefree than Alex thinks she probably has ever been in her life. And Kara’s not even here.

Alex suddenly looks around in panic, “Wait—where’s Kara?”

Maggie looks around too. She doesn’t know, or doesn’t remember. “I—I don’t—she was just here...” Her mind is fuzzy, she can’t think straight, “…bathroom?” she offers weakly.

Alex practically pushes Maggie off her lap. Maggie stumbles quickly to her feet and nearly knocks Lena over, the drink in her hand flying all over the place.

James and Winn jump back, _“Woah!”_

Lena puts a hand under Maggie’s elbow to keep her from falling and places her now-empty cup on the coffee table. Winn grabs a towel from the kitchen and starts cleaning up the floor. James looks at Alex, sees the panic in her face, and grabs her gently by the shoulders, “Hey…what’s wrong?”

She’s still panicked, still slurring a little, “Where’s Kara? Where’d she go? She was just…here…I can’t…remember. I can’t lose her James.”

James grins, puts a hand on her shoulder, “She took Eliza home, Alex. She’s fine. She’s—” Just then Kara walks through the door. “She’s right there.” Alex turns and sees Kara closing the door behind her, she runs.

Kara takes in the chaos, confused. Alex runs hard, wraps her in a hug with strength that surprises even Kara. She hugs her back, meets James’ eyes over Alex’s shoulder, “What happened?”

Alex answers before he does, pulls back from their hug, “Where’d you go?! I lost you. I—I can’t lose you, Kara. You’re my sister. You’re my sister and I love you and I need you.”

Kara stifles a giggle and answers sincerely, “I love you too, Alex. You didn’t lose me. I’m right here.”

Alex’s eyes lose focus, “You’re…spinning. Are you flying? Are _we_ flying? I kinda feel like I’m flying.”

Kara grins, “I think you’re drunk.” 

Alex thinks on that, “I think…you might be right.”

They all laugh.

Maggie is laughing too, then stops suddenly. Her eyes grow wide and she grabs Lena’s arm tight, “I think I’m gonna throw up.”

Lena grabs her elbows, holds her steady, “Ok…” She takes a small step back from her—just in case. “Let’s get you out of here.” She guides her slowly, carefully, toward the bathroom.

Winn suddenly looks ill, “Please don’t. Don’t talk about…don’t even say it…or I…” he gags.

James steers him gently toward the kitchen. “Alright. Come on. Sit down. I’ll get you some water.”

“Yeah…yeah. Good idea.” He let’s James lead him to a chair in the kitchen, and he sits down with his head in his hands, eyes shut, breathing deep.

Kara’s eyes watch Lena and Maggie enter the bathroom, she looks back at her sister, “Let’s get you water too. Maybe it’s time for bed.”

Alex pfffts but she lets Kara lead her to her bed, while she babbles, “My…my fiancée is throwing up.” She gasps, giggles, “She’s my _fiancée_ now, Kara.”

Kara smiles, “I know! We’re all very excited about it.”

Suddenly Alex veers toward the bathroom door, pulling Kara with her, “I should…I should help her. She needs me.” She tries to go, but Kara easily holds her back, sits her on the bed.

“I know, Alex. But she’ll be ok. Lena’s got her. You stay,” she instructs, “Pants.”

Alex looks down at her pants, back at Kara, who stands patiently. Alex rolls her eyes, fumbles with the button, then pulls off her jeans and throws them at Kara, giggling as Kara swats them away from her face and onto the floor.

Kara lifts the comforter, and Alex sighs, lifts her legs under it, and Kara tucks her in, “Goodnight, Alex.”

James appears, silently hands a glass of water to Kara, who gives it to Alex, and he goes back to the kitchen to keep an eye on Winn.  
“But Lena doesn’t know…she doesn’t know Maggie like I do. What she needs.” Tears well in her eyes, but she doesn’t try to stand up.

Kara brushes the hair out of Alex’s face gently, “Tell me. Tell me what Maggie needs. I’ll make sure she’s ok.” 

Alex takes a sip of water, nods, calms down a little. “She…she needs the blue mouthwash. Blue. She doesn’t like the green one. She…” Alex squints, thinks harder, “She needs someone to hold her hair back. She’ll tell you she can do it herself…she can do _everything_ herself…but someone should. Someone should hold it for her.”

“Ok.” She kisses her sister’s forehead. “Ok.” She watches Alex close her eyes, try to sleep, and her heart breaks just a little for them both. How much Alex wants to be with Maggie right now, how much Maggie is probably wishing Alex were there, not Lena. 

Kara stands to leave, but Alex grabs her hand, mumbles “Circles.”

Kara almost laughs, “What?”

Alex keeps her eyes closed, drops Kara’s hand to clutch the pillow, burrowing further into the bed, “Circles…on her back. She likes that…”

Kara switches of the table lamp, “Ok. Circles,” she promises.

Before she turns to the bathroom, she scans the apartment, sees James throw a blanket over what she can only assume is Winn, hidden behind the couch. James starts picking up glasses, bottles…tidying up. She smiles in gratitude, and he smiles back, nods.

She walks into the bathroom, slowly pushing open the door. Maggie is kneeling on the floor, eyes closed, head laying on her arm over the toilet seat. Lena is sitting on the edge of the bathtub behind her with Maggie’s hair in her hands, gently stroking her hair, keeping it out of her face.

Kara kneels next to her, and puts a hand carefully on her back—she’s not sure if that is only ok from Alex, but she promised. She starts gently rubbing small circles on Maggie’s back. Maggie relaxes, breathes slower, calmer. 

After a minute or so, Maggie’s pretty sure she’s not going to throw up anymore. She turns and her eyes light up. “Kara!” She nudges Lena, “That’s my sister.” She turns back to Kara, “You’re my _sister_ now, Kara. I never had a sister before. I think…I think I’ll be good at it. I’m gonna be a good sister. A good role model.” 

Lena looks at Kara, eyebrows raised. Kara tries not to laugh. Maggie looks between them, then at herself. She giggles, “This is not…this is not a great example.”

Kara smiles, “You’re doing fine, Maggie.” Maggie sits up taller, proud of herself. “How are you feeling?”

Maggie squints, thinks hard, “Tired…mostly.”

“Ok. How about I help you to bed?”

Maggie nods. She tries to push herself up but falters, Lena and Kara jump in, help her to her feet. Maggie puts an arm around each of them, head on Kara’s shoulder, “You’re a good sister, Kara.” She adds, “…and Lena. Lena is a good sister too.”

Kara looks to Lena, who is dumbfounded by Maggie’s drunken words, tears springing up in her eyes. She never thought anyone would call her that. Not only _good_ …but…a _good sister._ She wipes a tear off her cheek as she helps lower Maggie onto the bed on the other side of Alex.

Kara doesn’t demand Maggie’s pants. She considers it—although she would’ve asked, rather than demanded from Maggie—but before she makes up her mind, Maggie slips off her jeans and lets them fall to the ground. Kara lifts the blanket just like she did with her sister, and Maggie complies, swinging her legs underneath. Kara tucks her in too. “Goodnight, Maggie.”

Maggie pokes Kara’s nose, “Good night, little sis.” She closes her eyes and rolls over, facing the already-sleeping Alex. 

Kara grins and shakes her head. Her and Lena go into the living room. James now sleeping on the couch next to Winn, his long legs kicked out over the coffee table, blanket nearly covering the whole thing.

Kara grabs some blankets from the closet, tosses one to Lena and curls up in the armchair facing the bedroom. Lena takes the space next to James on the couch and huddles under the blanket. She falls asleep quickly, but Kara fights off sleep to watch over her two big sisters from afar. She listens for their breathing to slow, for them to be totally asleep. Only then does she close her eyes and drift off.

What feels like mere seconds later, she’s awoken by giggling.

She squints in the dark, but Lena, Winn and James are all still fast asleep. She looks past them to the bed, the comforter now forming one, giant lump. It moves. She rolls her eyes.

Maggie whispers loudly, “I almost threw up! I haven’t been this drunk since…well…I’m not sure. But it’s been a _loooong_ time.”

Alex giggles, “You…you are really drunk. You almost fell over!”

“Me?! You thought Kara disappeared. You _freaked_ out!” They laugh. “You…” she tries to catch her breath, “you threw Lena’s drink across the room!”

They crack up, remembering.

Alex pokes her in the side, “You’re drunk.”

Maggie laughs, pokes her back,“Nuh-uh. _You’re_ drunk.”

Kara hurls a pillow across the room. 

They’re huddled so close together, it hits them both square in the face. They jump, eyes wide. Maggie’s hand covers Alex’s mouth, tries to stifle her giggles.

Kara calls as quietly as she can, “You’re _BOTH_ drunk. Now go to sleep.”

They laugh harder at that, they kiss and snuggle close together. 

Kara grins, closing her eyes… _what am I going to do with these two?_


	8. Sanvers Brunch with Eliza

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex & Maggie post #SanversWeek “You’re Drunk” prompt. Brunch with Eliza. Hugs and waffles and a few tears. 
> 
> (Hardcore procrastinator here. Instead of doing homework, I did this. Oops.)

The morning after announcing their engagement to the Super ~~Friends~~ Fam—and the morning after being so drunk, they needed to be taken care of by both Kara _and_ Lena—Alex and Maggie stroll hand-in-hand toward a little café for the brunch they promised Eliza. They walk in to find her already in a table by the window, sipping coffee.

The place is quiet for Sunday brunch, but it’s probably, technically, just breakfast. It’s only 9AM. The place is filled with overstuffed chairs in mismatched flowery patterns, and upcycled, chunky, wooden tables that make it feel homey. It’s Maggie’s favorite restaurant in National City—mostly because they make the best whole-grain waffles that—even Alex can admit—are better than anything she’s ever tasted.

They give a small wave to Joanna, the owner—a woman in her late-50’s with kind eyes, and an even kinder heart—who is serving up a few customers at the counter. Eliza stands to greet them each with a hug, and Alex and Maggie take seats opposite her.

Eliza takes a sip of her coffee with a smirk, “You girls look surprisingly… _alert_ …this morning…”

Alex laughs, but Maggie hides her face in her hands, “Oh my god, I’m so sorry, Eliza. I can’t believe you saw me like that.”

Alex gently kisses her cheek, and it surprises Maggie slightly—how comfortable she is with it. Not just here, in public, but in front of her mom.

But Eliza is smiling, and her eyes are full of only love, “Don’t apologize, sweetie. I’m impressed, quite honestly. I'm on my second cup of coffee and I only had two glasses of wine last night!”

They chuckle and the nervousness eases from Maggie a little.

Joanna brings over two large mugs and sets them in front of Alex and Maggie, “Soy latte and cappuccino, for my girls.” Maggie and Alex sigh, holding onto their respective mugs like lifelines, and Joanna adds with a wink, “I threw in an extra shot for each of you…”

Maggie puts her mug up to her lips, “You are an angel, Jo.” Alex simply mouths _thank you_ and takes a sip, while Joanna walks away.

When Alex puts her mug down, she has a foam mustache that makes Eliza and Maggie giggle, and Maggie reaches over to brush it off, but stops just short—remembering Eliza—putting her hand back in her lap and blushing slightly.  
  
Alex wipes her own face and Maggie hesitates before meeting Eliza’s eyes. Eliza shakes her head slightly, grinning, “Don’t ever worry about showing affection towards my daughter in front of me, Maggie.” She puts her hand on Maggie’s and Maggie takes a deep breath.  
  
She laughs it off, “It’s been… _a while_ …since I’ve had to think about parents.”

She meant her girlfriend’s parents, but she didn’t phrase it that way, and Eliza and Alex are now staring at her with matching looks of concern on their faces. Alex puts a hand on her thigh under the table, and Maggie can’t help but think of her parents now, and she blinks back a few tears.  
  
“I meant…” she looks at Alex, “your parents.” She turns back to Eliza, “A... _partner’s_  parents. Not…not mine.” the last part is almost a whisper and Alex brings a hand to her back, rubbing soothing circles.

Eliza gives an apologetic look to Alex, she didn’t mean to turn the conversation this way. Alex knows, and she gives her a small smile back. Eliza stares at her menu and let’s them have a moment to themselves.  
  
When Joanna comes over again, they return to almost normal, “Waffles this morning, ladies? And there’s a blueberry and raspberry compote—just made it myself this morning.”  
  
Maggie’s eyes light up, “Yes, please!”

“And bacon. Like…a whole plate of bacon, Jo?” Alex pleads.

Joanna chuckles, “Rough night?”

“Yeah…” Alex grins bashfully and Maggie nudges her shoulder. Maggie takes Alex’s left hand and holds it up with her own, showing off both rings to Joanna, who promptly drops her notepad on the floor and pulls Alex to her feet and into a huge hug.

Eliza takes in the whole affair, just…in awe. She watches Alex hug Joanna tight, and then watches Maggie stand and do the same. Joanna waves a hand at them, muttering something like “You girls…so cute…” as she picks up her notepad and wipes a couple tears from her cheeks.  
  
Alex puts a hand on Joanna’s arm, “Jo, this is my mom, Eliza Danvers.”

Eliza puts a hand out, but Joanna goes in for a hug. Eliza laughs and returns the gesture.  
  
“These girls…I just…I love them so much. Your daughter is just lovely.”

Eliza grins, “Yes, ma’am. Both of them are.”

Joanna pulls away, “Oh yes! Kara too. She’s a little ray of sunshine that one, and can she _eat_ …I mean, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Eliza, Maggie and Alex laugh. Kara’s appetite is certainly impressive. Eliza smiles, “Yes, yes. Kara too, of course. I…I just…I was talking about these two, actually.” She tilts her head toward Alex and Maggie, and Joanna follows her gaze.  
  
Tears spring up in Maggie’s eyes again and she bites her lip, trying to blink them back. Alex pushes a strand of Maggie’s hair behind her ear, just staring at this woman that she loves so much, that her family loves so much...she sometimes wonders if her heart will burst right out of her chest.

Joanna tears up again, “Right. Of course. Oh _lord_. You girls…” She wipes her eyes and stuffs her notepad in her apron pocket, “Waffles for everyone, then? And the bacon. I won’t forget, Alex.” She looks back at Eliza quickly, “That ok with you, Ms. Danvers? Did you want something else?”

Eliza laughs, “Waffles sound great.”

Joanna sighs at the happy little family in front of her and shuffles away, still mumbling about their food, “Eggs! You’ll need eggs too. Protein is important.” she shoots a glance over her shoulder at Alex, who’s mouth is already open to retort, but stops her, “ _No_ , Alex. Bacon most certainly does _NOT_ count!”

Alex closes her mouth and slumps in her chair, making Eliza and Maggie laugh.

“She’s right, babe. Bacon may be delicious, but I’m not sure really counts as nutrition.”

Alex side-eyes her, mumbling, “Yes it does.”

Maggie and Eliza laugh again, and Alex leans her head onto Maggie’s shoulder, still pouting slightly.

Eliza takes a sip of her coffee, “So how was the rest of the party last night?”

Alex bites her lip, sitting up, and averts her mother’s gaze by focusing very hard on drinking her cappuccino. Maggie answers tentatively, “It was…good. We went to bed not long after you left.” _That’s technically not a lie_ , Maggie thinks.  
  
Eliza’s eyes narrow, her gaze flitting between the two of them, wanting for more, but also maybe not wanting to know more. “Well…it was good to see everyone. It was a fun night.”

Alex and Maggie share a look, and stifle giggles.

Eliza shakes her head and changes the subject, “So I know it’s only been a couple days, but I wanted to talk to you about the wedding.”

The word makes Alex and Maggie look at each other again, now giddy. Maggie can’t help it, she has to kiss her. It’s quick, but not _too_ quick.

Alex is surprised at Maggie’s forwardness, but in a good way. Her eyebrows raising slightly. When they pull apart, she grins and she takes Maggie’s hand under the table. “What about it, Mom?”

Maggie still hesitates before looking Eliza in the eye after the kiss. Eliza notices, but she loves seeing Alex this happy—both of them, actually—she couldn’t care less. She smiles at them, “Well, I just…first, I want you to know that if you need anything, please let me know. I’m happy to help.”

Alex looks at her mom, a little baffled, and takes her hand, “Of course we will, Mom. When we get to that point, we will definitely be asking for your help.”

Eliza smiles, “Thanks, honey. Also…” she takes something out of her purse with her other hand. She slides a piece of paper across the table to Alex. “This is for the wedding. Or for you two. Whatever you want. But it’s yours.”

Alex knits her eyebrows, and picks up the paper—a check—and her eyes grow wide, _“Mom?!”_

Maggie leans over Alex’s shoulder and her eyes grow just as wide, “Eliza—really—that is too kind.”

Eliza waves them off, “Your father and I have set aside money for both of you girls since you were kids. That’s yours, and Kara will get hers when the time is right.”

Maggie gulps. Alex’s mouth is still open. But a busboy is arriving with plates of food, so Alex carefully folds the check and puts it safely in her pocket. When she does, her phone buzzes. She checks the ID and looks up with a frown, “Work. Sorry, I gotta take this. I’ll be right back.”

Maggie and Eliza nod and Alex barely makes it to the door before whipping around, finger pointing at them both, “You better save me some bacon.”

They laugh as she heads outside to take the call and the bus boy sets their food down in front of Maggie and Eliza, filling up the table. They start fussing over their plates, both of their stomachs grumbling now.

Maggie shoves a bite of waffle in her mouth and looks up to see Eliza with her fork mid-air, chewing the inside of her lip, staring down at her plate. Maggie swallows and puts her fork down. “What is it, Eliza?”

Eliza is jolted out of her daydream and blinks up at Maggie, whose head is tilted to one side, “Sorry, dear. Nothing. It’s nothing.”  
  
Maggie grins, “Yeah, your daughter gets that same look on her face when she’s thinking about… _nothing_.” She laughs lightly, “Both daughters, actually.”

Eliza laughs now too, “You’re a good detective.”  
  
Maggie shrugs, “Yeah, well…”

Eliza looks up at her and takes a deep breath, “Alright. I wanted to ask you something…personal. I know it isn’t my place, but I just…I want to ask, but I also don’t want to pry.”

Maggie looks confused. She’s not sure where this is headed.

Eliza continues carefully, “With the wedding, dear…I just…um…will your parents be there?”

Maggie inhales, “Oh. Um…”

Eliza follows up quickly, “You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to. It’s ok. I just…I didn’t know when…or _if_ …if it was ok for me to ask? I’m sorry, dear.”

Maggie looks up at Eliza, who’s face is still full of love and she manages a small smile. “It’s just my Dad and I now, actually. But yeah, he’ll be there.”

Eliza nods, not wanting to pressure her further, “Ok. I’m sorry, Maggie. You don’t have to—”

“No, no. It’s ok. You're family now.” She’s not really prepared to have this conversation right now though, and she’s afraid to tell her, but she doesn’t know what else to say, “I’ll tell you about them sometime, I promise. Just maybe not...maybe not right now? Another time?” She looks nervously at Eliza.

“Whenever you want, honey. Or never, if that’s what you want. Like I said, I was just curious.”

“Thank you. And I do, I mean it. You’re…well…” she laughs to herself a little at the thought, “you’ll be my…mom…pretty soon I guess. Well—mother-in-law, but still.”

Eliza tears up, “I would be honored to be...” she takes the words from Maggie, carefully “...your mom.” She watches Maggie’s face change, soften, tears streaming down her cheeks too.

But Maggie wipes them away before they can fall too far, “Is it weird that I just called you that?”

Eliza rounds the corner to take Alex’s empty seat next to her, and puts her hands on Maggie’s shoulders, facing her now. “Oh, Maggie. You _are_ one of my daughters. You are an incredible woman, and I am so, so proud to become your mom, darling.”

Eliza opens her arms and Maggie lets herself be held. It’s been a long time since she’s had a mom, and honestly, she never thought she’d be able to use that word with anyone else. But with Eliza…it felt right. She feels like Mom. Not in the same way as her biological mother—she’s pretty sure no one will ever do that—but even so, it seems appropriate.

The door behind them jingles and Alex walks up to the table, making eye contact with Maggie, worry written across her face. But Maggie smiles over Eliza’s shoulder and Alex softens a little, mimics the head tilt she got from her fiancée long ago, “We ok here?”

Eliza and Maggie split apart and Eliza stands, putting a hand on Alex’s arm, “Yeah, hon. We’re fine.” She kisses Alex’s cheek and returns to her seat. Alex takes her seat back, eyes still locked on Maggie.

“I’m ok, Al.”

Alex carefully, gently, puts a hand on Maggie’s cheek and uses her thumb to wipe away her tears, “You’re sure, Mags?” Maggie nods and Alex kisses her nose. “Ok.”  
  
She slowly returns her attention to the food in front of them, to Eliza across the table.

Eliza breaks the silence first, “Everything ok at work, Alex?”

Alex brings herself back to the moment, “Huh? Oh, yeah. Everything’s fine. It’s not an emergency.”

“Good.”

Maggie lifts a plate from her end of the table and places it in front of Alex. Alex beams, “Bacon!” That makes Eliza and Maggie laugh, and Alex stabs at a few pieces with her fork, grinning like a kid on Christmas.

Just then, Joanna returns to the table with a smaller plate, two fried eggs sitting on top. “Alexandra Danvers! Don’t you dare think I forgot the eggs. You better eat this entire plate.” She slides it in front of Alex who slumps, once again, back in her chair with a groan.

Eliza smiles at Jo, “Thank you! Good to know someone else is looking after my girls.”

Joanna gives her a wink and squeezes her shoulder, “Of course,” before heading back to the kitchen.

Maggie takes the plate of bacon back toward herself, “I guess I’ll be taking this…”

Alex stares her down, “Maggie Sawyer, you better put that plate down if you know what’s good for you.”


	9. Kara & Alex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little shorter, but wow...it hurt to write. Sorry. It was also three sections that were too long for one chapter, so the next chapter will start right up where this leaves off.
> 
> Overall story note: I'm trying to figure out how to work through the Kara/Mon-El thing...so be kind? This seemed the most in-character. It also was fitting for where I wanted it to go eventually... *cough* Kara/James *cough* ;)

It’s few weeks after their engagement announcement, and Maggie is sitting at the kitchen table in the apartment, leafing through a case file, half-eaten containers of Chinese food scattered around, taking notes and desperately trying to make sense of the crime she’s been tasked to solve.

A _thump_ against the door gets her attention, and she hears a key fumbling into the lock—but not easily. She checks her watch—7:43PM—too early for Alex to be home. She hung up with her not twenty minutes ago, with Alex declaring she had at least another hour of tests to run in the lab before she could head home.

She considers grabbing her gun out of the nightstand, but a moment later, Kara pushes her way through the door, slamming it behind her a little too hard. 

Immediately, she knows something is wrong. 

Kara slumps against the door, shoulders shaking, sobbing. She calls out between breaths, “Alex!” But she doesn’t make it much further, sinking onto the floor in front of the door, palms pressed to her eyes, tears pouring down her cheeks, still calling for her sister through panicked breaths—unable to get her voice above a whisper.

Maggie very nearly hurdles the table to get to her side.

She sprints across the room, dropping to her knees beside her, eyes scanning for physical injuries—anything to explain the pain Kara is clearly in now—but she sees nothing. She whispers as quiet as she can, “Kara?” putting a hand gently on her arm—checking—unsure if touching her is ok right now.

Kara collapses into Maggie’s chest with huge, choking sobs, and Maggie holds her tight. She wraps both arms around her and rubs her back slowly, trying to calm her even a fraction. Kara tries to catch her breath, tries to steady her breathing, but she can’t. Every exhale is a struggle, every inhale catches in her throat. After a couple minutes, she manages to whisper between sobs, “Alex.” 

“I know. I know. I’m gonna get her, Kara. I promise.” Maggie keeps one arm tightly around her and slips her other hand into her back pocket for her phone. She hits the speed dial for Alex and—thank God—Alex picks up before the first ring is even through. 

“Hey—”

Maggie cuts her off immediately, keeps her voice stern, but calm, “Ally, stop. Listen. Everything is fine, babe. Don’t freak out. But you need to come home right now.”

Alex can sense the seriousness in her voice. Maggie hears a metallic clatter—Alex throwing down whatever she was holding—and the white noise passing through the speaker tells Maggie she’s running.

“Maggie, what happened.” Alex's voice is a fake calm, Maggie hears the panic behind it.

She tries to steady her voice for Alex's sake, “It’s ok. Or…it will be. I just need you to come home.” She takes a deep breath, “Kara needs you to come home, right now.”

“Ok.” She hangs up without another word, and Maggie puts her phone back in her pocket, puts her arm back around Kara.

She speaks barely above a whisper, “Kara…? Alex is on her way. She’s going to be here any minute, I promise you. But I…I need you to move, hon, otherwise she won’t be able to get in the door.”

Kara inhales deep, gathering any strength she may have left, clutching Maggie’s sweatshirt tighter in her fists, and nods—just barely—into Maggie’s chest.

“Ok.” Maggie gently brushes Kara’s hair from her face, “Ok, here we go…” Maggie stands slowly, half helping Kara up and half being pulled back down by her. It’s clumsy, but they manage to stand. Kara’s arms are still around Maggie’s waist with her head in Maggie’s neck, and Maggie has one arm around Kara’s back and one hand on her ribcage, trying to hold her upright. She shuffles toward the couch, Kara stumbling awkwardly, her eyes mostly closed.

Maggie sits her gently, gently, on the couch and she instantly curls up into the fetal position, tucking her chin to her knees, eyes still shut, still crying uncontrollably. Maggie takes a blanket off the back of the couch and wraps her up in it. She brushes her hair back from her face again, kisses her forehead lightly, and then suddenly, Alex is opening the door.

Alex freezes in the doorway and Maggie hurries to her, allowing the panic she’s been holding back to come to the surface just a bit, “I—I don’t know, babe. She showed up like this a few minutes ago. The only thing she’s said is ‘Alex.’”

Tears spring up in Alex’s eyes at the sight of her sister, and she puts a hand on Maggie’s arm, leaving her in the doorway as she rushes to Kara’s side. She kneels in front of her and puts a hand on her cheek, “Kara?”

Kara opens her eyes a crack, but it’s enough. She cries harder, throwing her arms around her sister's neck, “Alex!”

The pain held in that one word is a knife through Alex’s heart. She can’t figure out what’s happened, but Kara can’t tell her until she calms down. “Ok. You’re ok. I’m right here. I got you…” Alex tries to sooth her as she maneuvers herself onto the couch, sitting down with Kara’s head in her lap. She rubs circles onto her back with one hand, the other continually smoothing over her hair. 

Maggie doesn’t know what to do now. She paces a few times behind the couch, and then silently walks over to the kitchen table and gathers up her case file. She tucks it under her arm and walks along the back of the couch, to Alex’s shoulder. She kisses her cheek and nods her head toward the door, silently getting her message across, _I’m gonna go._

Alex shakes her head, _You don’t have to._ But Maggie nods, gives her a small smile, and slips out the door. 

In the hallway, she shoots Alex a text. She didn’t want to leave them there, but she’s pretty sure whatever Kara needs, only Alex can help with: _This seemed like a sister thing. Call me if you or Kara need anything. I can be back in a heartbeat. I’m going to the precinct for a bit, catching up on work. I love you._

She doesn’t expect a response, but by the time she gets to her Triumph, her phone pings: _You didn’t have to leave. I love you. I’ll let you know. xo_

Back inside the apartment, Kara’s breathing has steadied slightly, but the tears haven’t stopped. She slowly sits up to face Alex, using the blanket to wipe the tears from her face. “Alex…”

Alex puts her hands on Kara’s cheeks, worry on her own face, “Kara, what happened? Are you ok?”

Kara shakes her head, “Yes, I mean. I’m not…hurt. I just…” and more tears come. Alex pulls her into her chest and waits it out. It’s another minute or two before Kara can speak again, and it’s barely a whisper, “Mon-El…”

Alex hugs her tighter, “Oh, Kara…I’m so sorry.”

Kara has very few tears left, so she can almost form full sentences now, “How long until this stops, Alex? How long until I don’t feel…like _this_ …anymore?”

She sits up and Alex frowns, “I…I don’t know, Kara. I wish I did. I wish I could make all this pain disappear, but…I don’t know how.”

“It doesn’t even…it doesn’t make sense.” Kara sucks in air, tries to keep her voice from wavering, “One second I’m fine, well— _almost_ fine—and the next, the next I’m…I can’t _breathe_ , Alex. I think of him and I can’t even breathe.”

Alex takes her sister’s hands in her own. “You have to give it time, Kara. You have to grieve. This…as horrible as this feels, and as awful as it is, this is helping. Every time you let yourself feel like this, let yourself feel this pain, that wound will get a little shallower. I don't know how long it will take, and I don’t even know that it’ll go away, but it will hurt less, over time.”

Kara presses her forehead against Alex’s shoulder, whispers “How do you know?”

Alex sighs and Kara looks up at her, “Well, Dad…”

Kara puts a hand to her forehead. _Stupid,_ she thinks, _how could I forget?_ They grieved for Jeremiah for years. Her own grief was different than Alex’s, but now that she thinks about it, she feels a lot like what she remembers Alex looking like, especially early on.

“I’m sorry, Alex,” then, barely audible, “I…forgot…”

Alex tilts her head, puts a hand on her cheek, “It’s ok, Kara.” Kara drops her head against the back of the couch, and Alex continues, “You were in love. It’s going to take time and…unfortunately, it’s going to hurt like hell.”

Kara nods, “Can I stay here tonight?”

“Of course. I’ll grab you some pajamas.”

Kara wipes her eyes on her sleeve and looks around, “Where’s Maggie?”

Alex shrugs, “She…went out. She’ll be back soon.”

“I didn’t mean—I’m sorry.”

Alex lifts her chin, “It’s not you, Kara. She had some work to finish up. She’ll be back in a little bit.”

Kara doesn’t really believe her, but accepts the answer. Alex stands and pulls her upright, and Kara follows her into the bedroom to change.

Alex tosses a sweatshirt and shorts onto the bed for Kara, and changes out of her DEO gear into a t-shirt and sweatpants. As soon as Kara’s changed, she climbs into the bed, under the covers, and into the space she knows usually belongs to Alex.

Alex turns around, scoffs, and crosses her arms, “That’s how it’s gonna be?”

Kara grins and pulls the comforter up to her eyes, “…yes?”

Alex laughs and Kara does to, even if for a moment, and she can see her sister getting a little closer to normal. “Ok, then…” she threatens. She jumps onto the bed, bouncing just inches from Kara, straddles her knees over Kara’s ankles, and puts her arms out wide. 

Kara pops up from under the blanket, eyes wide, “Alex, _no!”_

Alex raises her eyebrows, mischief on her face, “Alex, _yes.”_ She grins, Kara yelps and ducks, and Alex bellyflops directly on top of Kara, using her as her own mattress. She has Kara pinned down under the covers—arms and all—and Kara wiggles helplessly from underneath her.

“Alex!”

“Sorry, Kara. You chose your fate.”

Alex is dead weight against Kara’s body, and Kara sighs, sinking them both lower into the bed. She slips her left hand out from under the side of the comforter and takes Alex’s hand in her own, “I love you, Alex.”

Alex squeezes her hand, and burrows deeper into Kara’s chest, eyes closed, “I love you too. Always.”

…

Maggie comes home a few hours later to find both girls asleep, Alex still laying directly on top of Kara and the comforter, their hands still intertwined on the far side of the bed. She kicks off her shoes and tiptoes to the bedroom, sliding her phone out of her back pocket. She grins as she takes a picture of the two of them, and then grabs a blanket from the foot of the bed to cover Alex.

She changes into her own pajamas and silently slips under the covers on the opposite side of Kara, closing her eyes. A few moments later, her eyes fly open at a touch, and she looks down to see Alex’s hand—the one that’s not in Kara’s—slide over her stomach and clumsily grab at her shirt. She turns to Alex, who’s eyes flutter open just barely, and then close again with a grin, “I love you, Mags.”

Maggie puts her arm over Alex’s on her chest, “I love you too.”

Another hand shoots across the bed, landing sloppily on Maggie’s forehead, then her shoulder, then her cheek. She stifles a giggle, and Kara mumbles in her sleep, “I love you three.”

At that, Maggie laughs. Even Alex giggles, but not enough to wake up Kara.

Maggie takes Kara’s hand off her face and into her own, “I love you four, kid.”

…


	10. Alex & Kara Go To The Zoo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I definitely have read one (or more??) fics with the [spoiler] fort [end spoiler] thing that happens at the end, which may or may not have been @queercapwriting's. I really can't remember where I read it at this moment.
> 
> And I know I've read (and love, tbh) one of their fics where the Super Friends go to the zoo. This is not related to that, it just also happens to be at the zoo, because I think it's a calming place. 
> 
> Just trying to give credit where it's due. I borrowed from and played with those ideas here.

The next morning, Kara’s eyes are swollen and she struggles to open them. It takes a few seconds before she remembers she’s in Alex’s apartment, but she doesn’t see anyone else around.

She rubs her eyes and sits up slowly, her whole body is sore and exhausted from crying all night. She closes her eyes again and feels the mattress sink by her feet, she feels a hand on her knee, and she knows, “Alex?”

The hand squeezes her knee a little tighter, “Right here, Kara. I’m right here.”

“Maggie?”

“She’s had to go to work.”

“I’m sor—”

“Stop apologizing, Kara. It’s not because of you,” it’s kind, but firm.

Kara nods slightly. She picks up a pillow and pulls it agains her chest, she tries to open her eyes again. When she does, Alex is right there—waiting, watching. Concerned, but calm.

Kara’s bottom lip trembles and she bites down to stop it.

“What do you need?”

She shakes her head, “I—I don’t know anymore, Alex. It just…hurts. Everything hurts.” she’s fighting back tears, trying to breathe steadily. She doesn’t know how long she can keep it together today.

Alex goes into the bathroom and returns with a cup of water and some aspirin. She hands it to Kara carefully, fighting off every instinct that is telling her to hug her baby sister. She watches Kara take the pills and sip the water, she watches her breathe slowly, deliberately trying to keep herself together. It breaks her heart, but she knows Kara’s trying not to cry, and she also knows—from years of experience—that hugging Kara would be ok, but tears would probably come, and that’s not what she wants right now.

Instead, she picks a duffle bag off of the floor and tosses it to Kara with a small smile, “Why don’t you get dressed. I’ll make you some toast and we’ll…go for a walk or something.”

Kara pulls the bag to herself and looks inside: her own clothes, from her apartment. She raises an eyebrow at Alex.

“She thought you might like your own clothes,” she doesn’t elaborate, just walks away with a small shrug.

Kara joins Alex in the kitchen a few minutes later in her own jeans and t-shirt, but also wearing one of Maggie’s well-worn Huskers sweatshirts.

Alex bites the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning, and to keep from crying. She takes a deep breath and slides a plate of toast in front of Kara. A few minutes later, when Kara is curled up in the chair and staring out the window, Alex slips her phone out of her pocket and snaps a picture. She sends it to Maggie without comment, and slides her phone back in her pocket.

Kara turns around, pushing her glasses up on her nose, “Can we go to the zoo?”

Alex grins behind her coffee mug, “Sounds perfect.”

…

Alex and Kara walk to National City Zoo in near silence. Kara’s arms are folded around her own waist, with Alex close enough to her side that they occasionally bump shoulders. Alex tries to direct them around any place she knows would bring up painful memories of Mon-El, and only twice does she see Kara’s body tense and her fists tighten, clutching Maggie’s sweatshirt tighter to her chest. Alex makes mental notes to avoid those places on the way home.

When they arrive at the entrance of the zoo, Kara perks up. Her face brightens and her arms drop to her sides. She takes Alex’s hand and drags her through the gate, grinning, “Giraffes?”

Alex laughs, “Of course.” 

Giraffes are Kara’s favorite, ever since she got to Earth. Every animal in the zoo was alien to Kara, but the giraffes were unlike anything her mind could comprehend. Their long necks and long legs, the colors and the spots, their overall size and gentleness, and watching them run…Kara was quickly entranced. Alex always thought they were for babies, but the way Kara loved them…it made even teenage Alex start to think they were cool.

They walk to the enclosure of giraffes and Kara is spouting facts a mile a minute. Alex knows them already—heck, she taught most of them to Kara in the first place—but she listens and occasionally corrects, and once, Kara drops in a fact that even Alex didn’t know, “There are four species of giraffes, you know.”

Alex stops in her tracks, “Wait— _four_ species?”

Kara beams, “Yep.” She rarely gets this moment of superiority over Alex, especially with Earth-related things. 

Alex is impressed. “They must’ve upgraded the biology texts in the last 15 years…” She stands with Kara up at the railings to get a closer look. Both girls standing in awe for a few minutes.

They wander further along the path, stopping at the elephants, gazelles, and zebra enclosures. They reach a fork in the road and Alex poses the question to Kara, “Alright little sis: ‘roos or whale sharks?”

Kara takes the question rather seriously, and Alex chuckles at how suddenly she looks like a little kid again. Finally she answers, “Whale sharks,” and Alex falls in step on their way to the aquatics building.

Inside, they wind slowly through dark hallways of tanks: clown fish, electric eels, sting rays, angel fish, jelly fish, and so many more tanks that if they move slow enough, it feels like they’ve been transported straight into a submarine, sunk deep in the bottom of the ocean.

At the center of the building, the room opens up wide to a tank that’s at least twice the size of the DEO. Around it, large, carpeted stairs are both steps and seating for people to check out the main attraction: a aquarium full of a wide variety of fish and sharks and sea creatures—who are all put to shame by two enormous whale sharks the size of school buses. You can easily locate them by listening for the gasps of the people who can suddenly see them emerge from the other side of the tank.

Alex and Kara climb up high to the back corner of the steps. It’s further away, but it means less people walking by and blocking their view. Alex sits, leaning against the back wall, and she shifts slightly when Kara decides not to sit next to her, but in front of her, in between her legs that are stretched out across the floor. Kara leans back into Alex and Alex wraps her arms around her, settling her chin on her shoulder. She takes a deep breath and it’s a combination of Kara’s shampoo and the scent of Maggie on her sweatshirt—it smells like home, and it makes Alex melt, makes her grin.

They watch the whale sharks swim effortlessly, mesmerizingly through the water. After a while, Kara finally speaks, “I hope he’s somewhere this…beautiful. This peaceful.” 

Alex pulls her closer, “We’re going to find him, Kara. Even if we can’t bring him back here…we’re going to make sure he’s ok. I won’t ever stop looking. Not ever. I promise you that.”

“I know.”

“I know he’s thinking about you too.”

Kara’s voice cracks now, “I know.”

Alex doesn’t say anything else. She doesn’t want Kara to break down in the middle of the aquatic building. She can feel Kara’s breathing even out, hears her sniffle a little. Then all of a sudden a little boy sits right next to them, patting Kara on the knee.

He’s maybe four, at most. Dark hair and dark eyes behind black rimmed glasses. He looks at them both, full of the confidence that only a four-year-old has, “Did you know…doze are whale sarks.”

His “th” sounds are a hard “d” but the word “shark” comes out “sark” and both sisters grin, instantly in love with him. Kara plays along.

“They are?”

His tone is very serious, “Yes.”

“Do you…do you know more about whale sharks?”

“They are the biggest fish in the whoooole world,” and his arms stretch out as far as he possible can to emphasize his point.

“Really?!”

“Yes. But dey aren’t mean. My uncle, he…he swimmed with dem!”

“He did?”

The serious tone is back, “Yes!”

Kara tries not to laugh, “Did you swim with them too?”

He looks disappointed, “Not yet. He says I’m too little.” Then he sits up taller, “I’m four. But when I’m ten,” he puts his hands up and spreads his fingers out wide, “den I can swim with ‘em. He says so.”

“Wow. I guess it’s probably a good idea to wait until you’re bigger.”

He crosses his arms, “I’m not scared.”

Alex and Kara giggle at his confidence, but before they can say anything else, a voice calls from below, “Ben? Ben! Come on, we’re going to see the gorillas!”

His eyes grow wide and he runs off with a little wave. Alex laughs harder and Kara turns to face her, “What?”

Alex stands up and pulls Kara to her feet, “Nothing. He just…he reminds me of you. Those big eyes. That…gumption. It was cute.”

Kara shrugs, blushing a little, then her eyes light up like a kid again, “Roos!” Alex shakes her head a little and lets Kara pull her out of the building toward the Australian Outback exhibit.

They stand at the fence, watching the kangaroos for a little while, and Kara squeezes Alex’s arm when a joey pops up from a pouch, “Alex! Look!” She jumps and she points and she’s genuinely smiling, and Alex wishes James was here to capture the moment. 

They walk a little ways further to the koalas and Alex takes her phone out to send a picture to Maggie, she blushes at Kara’s look—eyebrows raised— she mumbles, “What? It’s one of her favorites…” 

Kara puts her hand out for the phone, “Let me take it then. Turn around. Both her favorites.” 

Alex blushes a few shades more and rolls her eyes, but hands over the phone. She even smiles nicely for the picture. Kara takes that picture and when Alex laughs, slightly embarrassed, Kara takes a picture then, too—Alex looking more natural and relaxed. She sends the second one off to Maggie (and herself) before giving the phone back. 

Kara loops her arm through her sister’s, grinning, and Alex shakes her head, sliding the phone in her pocket. Kara looks at her sister, “We should meet her for lunch.”

Alex shakes her head more sternly and kisses Kara’s temple, “We’ll make her dinner. I want to spend the day with my little sister.”

…

By dinnertime, they’re back in the hallway of Alex’s building, and Kara’s mood has improved significantly. She’s far from whole, but she’s better. Alex figures there will be a lot of relapses in her future, but she’s happy to have had almost a whole day of fresh air and no tears and ice cream and nerdy, science-y animal facts that bonded them so many years ago.

Alex tries to unlock the door and finds it already open. She exchanges a curious look with Kara, and they swing the door open to find the entirety of the living room converted into a rather large, rather impressive, blanket and pillow fort. Kara claps her hands, jumping slightly on the balls of her feet, squealing, “Maggie?!”

Maggie’s head pops out from inside the fort, eyes wide in surprise, “Wait—wait! It’s not done yet. Give me two more minutes!”

Kara grins and turns around to face the wall—facing Alex—and shuts her eyes so Maggie can finish up the fort. Alex watches over Kara’s shoulder, beaming, as Maggie grabs a dictionary from the bookshelf to weigh down the far corner of a sheet, and then hurries into the kitchen, grabbing a covered dish of god only knows what, and slips back into the fort, disappearing entirely.

She crawls out a moment later, “Ok, ok! It’s finished!” and it’s barely a second before Kara has her wrapped up in a hug, spinning her slightly before putting her back on her feet. She watches Kara disappear entirely into the fort a moment later.

She laughs and looks up at Alex, who’s wiping away few tears, “Hey…you ok, Al?”

Alex walks up slow, putting her arms around Maggie’s shoulders, Maggie sliding hers around Alex’s waist, “You did all this for Kara?”

Maggie shrugs, “Yeah, well…it seemed like she could use it.”

Alex pulls her into a long, slow kiss, and Maggie pulls Alex closer, as close as she can. They separate to catch their breath, foreheads pressed together, and Alex whispers, “I love you.” 

Maggie pushes Alex’s hair out of her face, “I love you too, Ally.”

Kara pops out from the tent momentarily, “Alex! Maggie made tiny empanadas!” 

Alex kisses Maggie again, but quicker this time, “You’re too good for us—for me—you know that?”

Maggie shakes her head, “No way, Danvers.”

They all climb into the fort, spreading out over various pillows and blankets that cover the floor, leaning against the bottom of the couch. Kara squeezes herself between Alex and Maggie, dish of empanadas on her lap. Alex reaches an arm around Kara and puts her hand on the back of Maggie’s neck, fingers tangled up in her hair. Maggie grabs the remote and turns on the TV to the movie she has ready to go. 

Nat King Cole’s “L-O-V-E” starts playing and Kara squeals, “Parent Trap?!”

Maggie smiles, “Is that ok, kid?”

Kara grins at Maggie and then looks back at Alex, snuggling deeper into Maggie’s side, “Keep her forever.”

Alex laughs and squeezes the back of Maggie’s neck slightly, “Yeah…I’m kinda planning on it.”

They spend the rest of the night in the fort, trading empanadas for popcorn, and popcorn for ice cream.

Kara falls asleep before The Parent Trap is even over, and Maggie and Alex try not to move—despite how much they’re longing to be closer to each other, too. Alex takes the spoon out of Kara’s hand and reaches carefully to put it on the coffee table. She notices the chocolate ice cream Kara’s dripped onto Maggie’s sweatshirt, and frowns, “Sorry, Mags. I think she got ice cream on your sweatshirt.”

Maggie looks down at Kara in the worn Huskers sweatshirt, cuddled between the two of them, chocolate on her nose and yes, a little on the sweatshirt, and she just smiles, “You know…it’s totally worth it, Al.”


	11. Game Night

It’s six months after the Daxamite invasion. Six months after watching the person she loved take off into space, not knowing where he was going, if he would live, where he would be, or if he could ever come back.

Six months of crying through her feelings with Alex and Maggie. Punching through her feelings with James. Talking through her feelings with Lena, or with Winn.

Six months of sporadically breaking down into tears, of showing up at Alex and Maggie’s to spend the night. Six months of her slowly, carefully, reclaiming a sense of normalcy in National City.

But it’s been six months, and it’s game night, and she’s laughing—genuinely, openly, laughing—at Alex and Winn, faces screwed up in concentration during a final showdown of Mario Kart. Maggie with a hand on the back of Alex’s neck, and James with his on Winn’s shoulder. She sits next to Lena, watching them race around the last few turns of the course, neck-in-neck, thumbs pressing as hard as they can, willing their strength to travel through the controls and make their characters go faster. At the last second, Alex’s Luigi sideswipes Winn’s Toad and sends him spinning, veering away from the finish line that she crosses a second later. 

They both jump to their feet—her cheering in victory, him cursing in anger—and Alex tries, really tries, to be civil as she puts out a hand, “Good game, Winn. Maybe next time,” but she’s grinning, and she ruffles his hair, and he’s still a little bitter as he sits back down, huffing, and crossing his arms.

She watches James pat him on the shoulder, offering him a beer and congratulations. She watches Maggie grab at Alex’s waist and pull her to her lap, closer than she normally would in front of everyone, but she’s had a couple drinks and she’s become comfortable here, with this family, and the engagement rings on both of their left hands have made them impossibly, adorably, more handsy. 

She watches Alex’s hands on Maggie’s face as they kiss, watches Alex’s thumb gently swipe at her cheek. Her eyes drift to James’ hands, to his thumb…unconsciously rubbing the label on the side of his beer bottle as he’s consoling Winn. She feels her stomach flip a little. Then she feels an elbow gently nudge her in the ribs.

She looks to her left and Lena’s staring at her with eyebrows raised. She blushes. She shakes the thoughts out of her mind, and stands, walking toward the kitchen. Lena is at her heels, but careful to appear casual. She rearranges some cookies on a plate on the counter, and Lena stands on the opposite side, watching quietly.

She hates herself a little right now. She continues staring down at the plate, intent on not meeting Lena’s eyes. She sees Lena’s hand take a cookie, sees her breaking it into tiny pieces that she pops into her mouth, chewing slowly, internally debating if she should say something. She doesn’t see her face, but she hears her voice. She expects it to be teasing, but it’s not—it’s kind, it’s quiet, it’s…almost sad, “Kara?”

She meets her eyes slowly. She says nothing.

“Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I just…I’m here if you want to talk. About anything. Ok?”

She nods, just once. Lena gives her a small smile and heads back to the living room, to Winn and James and Maggie and Alex. Alone in the kitchen, she watches them all again. Watches Lena’s face change and laugh at whatever animated conversation is happening between Winn and Maggie that’s making James and Alex and now, Lena, cry with laughter.

But their laughter is infectious, and she picks up the plate of cookies, carries it to the living room, and sets it onto the coffee table smiling again. She sits on the floor next to Winn, and feels James’ leg brush against her side—she leans into the warmth, careful to avoid eye contact with Lena, and she notices he doesn’t move away.

They decide on euchre next—even though only four people can play—and Maggie instantly shouts, “Kara’s on my team!” and Winn and Lena groan—not because they mind being on the same team, but because she and Maggie are insanely excellent teammates in euchre, and it’s really just…unfair.

Lena claps her hands together, pumps herself up, “We got this, Winn. We’re gonna beat ‘em this time.” and he nods along, psyching himself up. But she and Maggie exchange a look and grins, and James and Alex are pretty sure this game will be over as quickly as it started.

She and Maggie win every hand. They take a 10-0 victory and they high five and hug in the middle of the living room. Lena swipes two cookies off the table and hands one to Winn, “Might as well eat our sadness. Cheers, partner.” They toast their cookies with matching frowns, and everyone laughs—even Winn and Lena. 

Winn jumps to his feet, “Well kids, I’m exhausted, and I’m tired of losing, and I think I’m going to call it a night.”

She pulls him into a hug and he grins and hugs her back. “Better luck next time, Winn. I love you.”

He blushes and nudges her shoulder playfully, “Yeah, yeah…I love you too, Kara.”

Lena stands now and hugs her too, “I’m gonna head home too, Kara. It’s been fun. I’ll see you Friday for lunch.” When she pulls away she gives Kara’s arm a final squeeze, “Call me, ok?”

She nods, smiling, “I will.”

Winn and Lena head out the door to leave, and Alex and Maggie stand now too. They look at each other with mischievous grins and suddenly she finds herself sandwiched in a giant, crushing hug between them both, each of them simultaneously planting a kiss on one her cheeks. Luckily, James has his phone in his hands, and he snaps a few photos before the moment is over.

“Love you little sis.”

“I love you, Kara.”

She giggles and they pull apart, “I love you too, you weirdos.”

Maggie lightly pinches her cheek and Alex grabs her sides, tickling her a little. Then they stroll, arms around each other’s waists, out the door, and on their way home.

She grins at her big sisters, shaking her head, and turns around. James is sending the picture he just took to the Super Friends group text with a grin. She watches his face carefully, taking in his eyes, his smile…then he’s looking up at her and her stomach flips a little again. She blinks and turns away quickly.

“What’s up?” he asks kindly, quietly.

“Uh…nothing. It’s nothing.” she tries to act natural, busies herself with picking up some glasses and bottles on the coffee table. 

He starts cleaning up too, and her phone in her pocket pings and she unlocks the screen. He watches her now: watches her open the picture, watches her eyes light up, watches her save it as her wallpaper and slip her phone back into her pocket with a smile. His own stomach flips a little, too.

He reaches for the plate of cookies at the same time she does, and their hands touch. She pulls away, blushing, and he looks up at her. “Kara…?”

She shrugs it off, “Sorry. I just…sorry…” and she walks into the kitchen without a look back. 

He rubs the back of his neck and shakes his head with a grin. He picks up the rest of the empty glasses off of the table and carries them into the kitchen, depositing them into the sink. He can hear her still, feel her eyes on his back, even though he can’t see her. He slowly turns around and leans back against the sink.

She’s staring at his chest, staring almost too intently, because she doesn’t want her eyes to wander, can’t bring herself to look him in the eye as she says what’s been on her mind quite a bit lately, “I’m sorry for what happened between us, James…for how…how I ended things.”

He’s surprised. Not totally shocked, because he’s seen the way she’s been looking at him lately, like she’s always about to say something, staring just a little too long, laughing just a little too hard—a lot like she did a few years ago, actually. But he didn’t really think she knew she was doing it. And he certainly didn’t expect an apology. “It was a long time ago, Kara.”

She shakes her head, “Not that long ago.” She takes a deep breath, forces herself to look at his face, “I was selfish. I see that now. I thought…I thought being Supergirl was enough. But after…” she doesn’t say his name, she’ll cry if she does, she swallows hard, “after…everything…I realize I can be both. I could’ve had both. And I’m…I’m sorry I never gave us that chance.”

“Thank you, Kara.” he says honestly. They moved past this long ago, and yet…a part of him never truly moved on. He suspects a part of him never will stop being in love with her. He doesn’t want to jeopardize their friendship, but he may never get this chance again. His voice is barely a whisper, and now he’s the one who can’t look her in the eye, “I never stopped loving you, Kara.”

He looks up at her, tears are springing up in her eyes, and he backpedals, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said—I know you loved him—love him—I just…I’m sorry. Forget it.”

He turns away from her, staring into the kitchen sink, but then he feels a hand on his back, hears his name in his ear, “James?”

He turns and her hands go to his waist, tentative, but firm. He looks down at her, “I’m sorry, Kara.”

She shakes her head, “Don’t be.” 

They stare at each other—faces only inches apart—for what feels like a long time. Slowly, she takes a hand from his waist and puts it on his chest, right over his heart that she can hear beating a little faster now, “Can I…can I kiss you?”

He answers with his hands on her cheeks. He answers with his mouth on hers. And she opens her mouth enough for him to slip his tongue in, and it makes her inhale sharply. He pulls away, and she grins, a little breathless, “No, that was…that was ok.”

He tilts his head, a little smug now, “Just ok?”

She smirks, shrugs, “I think you can do better.”

He raises his eyebrows and leans in to kiss her again. She pulls his body against hers, and turns slightly so he’s pushing her against the counter. His hips are against hers, and one of his hands is on her waist, the other tangled in her hair. They kiss slowly, then needier, more desperate, until she pulls back and presses her forehead into his chest. He catches his breath and backs away slightly, lifting her chin, “You ok?”

She’s still trying to catch her breath, her heart is racing, and her feelings are…well, a little all over the place. But she nods, “Yeah. Yeah, I’m ok.”  
“Ok.” He kisses her quicker this time, a peck on the lips before he leans back on the sink opposite her, giving her space, letting her breathe.

She wraps her arm around her own waist and stares at him. She wanted this—she did—but there’s a small pang of guilt in her stomach, a small sadness eating away at her now. She bites her bottom lip.

“Are you sure that you’re ok, Kara?”

She breathes, she nods, and she wipes a tear from her eye, “Uh…yeah. Yeah. I’m fine.”

He opens his arms, and she tucks herself into his chest, “I know you miss him, Kara. I do too. You loved him. I can’t…I can’t imagine what that feels like.”

She keeps her head on his chest, but she’s surprised that she’s not crying, “I do miss him. But…it’s different now. I loved him, and I will always love him. But it’s not the same. He’s not coming back—he can’t—and I’m starting to realize that I’m not doing myself any favors waiting around like he’s going to walk back in the door.”

He rubs her back gently, “I will always be here for you, ok? Take all the time you need. I’ll be right here when you’re ready. Just…don’t forget that. Don’t forget that I’m waiting for you.”

She pulls away and looks up at him, she stands on her toes to kiss his cheek. “I’ll remember.”

He grins, “Good.”

He grabs his jacket off the back of the kitchen chair and shrugs it on as he turns to leave. She holds the door for him, and he gives her one last look over his shoulder, “Goodnight, Kara.”

She smiles, “Goodnight, James.”

He winks, and she closes the door behind him, grinning. She sends a quick text to Lena while she shuts off the lights:  
 _Maybe we can move that lunch up a few days? To talk… ;)_

Lena responds almost immediately  
 _Whenever you want, Kara. I’ll be there._

For the first time in six months, she doesn’t wake from sleep wishing she was still dreaming, wishing she was with Mon-El. For the first time in six months, she dreams about flying and about being with her friends, about being with her sisters, and Eliza. She dreams about sitting on the beach when she was little, watching Alex surf. She dreams about family dinners and Thanksgivings and Christmases full of love. As she opens her eyes, she remembers last night, and kissing James, and it doesn’t break her heart…it gives her hope.


	12. Kara & Lena

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena & Kara have a chat about boys. 
> 
> Also! Idk what ships you all are coming from, but just a friendly heads up that I am neither for or against any ship (even the canon ones, except maybe Sanvers...because I don't know how to be against Sanvers?), so there is no intentional underlying hate happening here on any character. I just wrote it like I interpreted it, and so I hope you can be kind. I mean, you all are kind already, so I think it'll be fine. I just want to let you know where I'm coming from. ;)

She wakes up mostly happy, and she wakes up with a bundle of nerves in her stomach. 

Last night she kissed James.

Last night, she let herself take a fairly decent step toward moving on from Mon-El—and it was exciting, but it was a little heartbreaking. She’s been trying all morning to work out her feelings, before resigning herself to the fact that she can’t figure them out on her own. She almost calls Alex—her first instinct is always Alex—her hand hovers over her name in her favorites, but she remembers Alex and Maggie are both off today, and so they’re probably…busy. She scrolls a little further and hits send before she can stop herself, but on the second ring she chickens out, and she hangs up and throws her phone across the bed.

She paces, _this is ridiculous,_ she thinks, _she’s my best friend. Just call her._ She stops and reaches for the phone, but it’s already ringing. It’s Lena.

She takes a deep breath and answers, tries to act natural, “Hey, Lena.”

“Hey. Sorry I missed your call. Everything ok?”

She puts a hand on her forehead, _she’s apologizing, and I’m the idiot who hung up._ “Uh, yeah. Yeah, everything’s…fine.” That’s all she can manage before her voice cracks, before she knows she’ll start rambling. 

There’s a few seconds of silence, and she can hear papers shuffling and Lena’s laptop closing, “Are you home right now?”

Kara sits on her bed and sighs, “…yeah.”

She swears she can hear Lena grin, “Good. I’ll be over in a bit. Then maybe we can grab breakfast before I head to the office?”

Kara flops backward on the bed and pulls a pillow over her face. She’s already embarrassed by the conversation they’re going to have, the one that—judging by Lena’s tone—they don’t even need to have. She groans, “Sounds great.”

Lena laughs, “I’ll see you in ten, Kara.”

“Mm-hmm.” she mumbles. She hangs up and tosses the phone to the side of the bed. She pulls the pillow off of her face and stares at the ceiling. 

She’s replaying a thousand little moments she’s shared with Mon-El, and a thousand little moments she’s shared with James. Her mind is comparing and contrasting, detailing hands held, hugs, kisses, small touches, looks from across the room, and a million other things she didn’t even realize she’d still held on to.

A knock at the door startles her and she checks her watch— _how has it already been ten minutes?!_ She doesn’t even move, she just yells, “It’s unlocked.”

She hears the door open and close, hears Lena’s heels on the hardwood floor. She hears her set her bag down on the table and walk closer. She sees her leaning against the doorway of her bedroom.

“Hey, Kara,” She doesn’t look smug, but rather…curious. Concerned.

Kara grumbles, and Lena laughs. She moves toward the bed and sits next to Kara, who’s still lying on her back, now staring at the ceiling again.

Lena leans back on her hands, following Kara’s gaze to the ceiling, watching the fan spin around and around. After a minute, she speaks—her voice is quiet, kind, “Do you want to talk about it? Or…not talk about it?”

Kara props herself up on her elbows, and turns, looking at Lena now, “I don’t know.”

Lena nods. 

A few more minutes pass in comfortable silence. Lena tries again, staring at the wall, “Every once in a while, I’ll make a phone call or send an email…and I pass his name in my phone or…or his email in my contacts…” she takes a deep breath and looks at Kara, “Some days it makes me smile. And some days…some days it breaks my heart. I still haven’t been able to delete it, even after all this time.”

Kara chews at the inside of her cheek. Lena doesn’t talk about Jack often. As close as they are, and despite witnessing his last moments together, she rarely brings him up and Kara doesn’t dare. She still feels guilt for not being able to save him. She still feels guilt for making Lena save her instead. She whispers, “I’m so sorry, Lena.”

Lena gives her a small smile. She knows about Kara’s guilt. And while it’s true that she usually can’t bring herself to talk about him, some of the time she doesn’t for Kara’s sake. She shrugs, “It's no one’s fault, Kara. It just…is.”

Kara sits up now and puts her head on Lena’s shoulder. Her voice is barely a whisper, “I…I think I want to be with James?”

It’s both a statement and a question. Lena tries not to smile, “Ok.”

Kara stands now, starts pacing, rambling, “But it’s not fair. It’s not fair to him. I can’t do this to James…again. I did this before—before you and I were friends. I kissed him and I thought I wanted to be with him and then…then I broke up with him before we even actually dated. I broke his heart. I almost lost one of my best friends. And then…we just…we moved on. We started being friends again. Then…” she pauses, her voice cracks and she looks at Lena with tears threatening to spill over, “then Mon-El.”

“Kara…” Lena’s voice is calm.

Kara shakes her head, continues pacing, rambling, her hands flying around as she delves further into her feelings, “Then Mon-El. And we…we were horrible together, at first. I couldn’t stand him.” She laughs at the thought now, “He was so…arrogant. And then, suddenly, he wasn’t. I still don’t know how he did it. For all his faults, he was always honest—well, except about being the Prince, I could’ve killed him for that—but he was always honest about his feelings…for me. And I shut him down. I continually shut him out and pushed him away, until…until even I had to admit that I had feelings for him too. Like…like that, you know? And then we were finally getting to a good place, and then his mother…and just…we never really got a chance, you know?”

Lena doesn’t say a word. The question was rhetorical. She waits, and Kara paces a few more times, but seems to be out of thoughts for now. She sits on the bed next to her again. Her voice is quieter now, she takes a deep breath, “I really did love him. I…I still do, in a way. But he’s gone, Len. He’s never coming back.”

“I’m so sorry, Kara.” Lena puts an arm around her and Kara drops her head.

“I kissed James last night.”

Lena hesitates, “Ok.”

Kara pulls away and looks up at her, “That’s it? ‘Ok?’”

Lena laughs, “Kara, you’re a grown woman. James is a grown man. And you have been staring at him way too longingly for way too long for that to have surprised me.”

Kara laughs too, “Fair enough.”

Lena puts a hand on Kara’s knee, “Look, I know these are…complicated…feelings. They don’t always make sense, and that’s ok. They don’t have to. But you deserve to be happy, Kara. And if you think James is going to make you happy, then you should go for it—when you’re ready, of course.”

Kara nods, and Lena’s next words are careful, calculated, “But…James…James is one of a kind. I know I’m new to this group—your friends—but even I’ve noticed. They’re aren’t souls that genuinely kind—present company excluded,” she adds, with a grin, “I am your best friend, and I am on your side—always—so please…please don’t take this the wrong way, but…”

She hesitates and Kara nods, she knows where this is going, “Don’t break his heart again.”

Lena frowns, “Sorry.”

Kara shakes her head, “You’re right. Part of me wants to jump in with both feet, head first…” she laughs thinking of the words Maggie has told her on more than one occasion, “But I can’t punch my way out of this—or _into_ it, in this case.”

Lena smiles, “Maybe not this time.”

“So what do I do?” she sighs.

Lena stands, looking down at her, “Kara, I can’t tell you what to do. But…maybe…” she reaches her hands out and pulls Kara to her feet, pulls her into a hug, “Listen to your sister for once. Less punching. More talking.” 

Kara laughs, and Lena continues, “Just talk to him, Kara. Be honest. Tell him what you told me. It can only help.”

Kara sighs and puts an arm around Lena’s waist, her head on her shoulder, “You’re probably right.”

Lena grins, “Of course I’m right.”

Kara nudges her with her hip, and they both laugh. They head to the door, to breakfast, with Lena stopping to scoop up her bag from the table and Kara locking the door behind them.

…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all. Friendly heads up that I'm probably taking a break from this for a while. Maybe forever? I'm not sure. I really enjoyed writing it, but right now nothing I'm writing seems to feel right. So, we'll see? 
> 
> Gonna finish up the Super Friends Vacation work and do some other random stuff, but this is the most I've ever written for anything ever, and I'm just getting a little burnt out right now. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! You're all amazing. :)


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